


Inherent Good

by BlatantlyQueer



Category: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Adventure, Awkward First Times, Derealization, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Identity Issues, Light Angst, Lorule, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 04:39:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 26,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6940156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlatantlyQueer/pseuds/BlatantlyQueer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wakes up with orders to kill and no memories, but the man he's supposed to put down shares his face...and maybe his future. Or, Dark Link is his own person and Link helps him find out who he is. No one is evil by default. </p><p>-</p><p>This fic contains sexual content. Chapters that contain sexual content will begin with a note saying so that will also contain possible content warnings!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link enters the Room of Illusions.

All he had were orders. He didn’t know much else, just what he was supposed to do. Kill the Hero of Time.

  
“You’ll know him when you see him,” Ganondorf had said before a flash of light landed him in an unfamiliar place. He had no way of knowing how long he’d been there- the sky was a milky white that stretched all around and never changed, and when he tried to walk out into the fog, his hands would catch a wall that he just couldn’t see. He’d been there long enough for his stomach to ache with hunger. Much of the time he’d sit at the small island at the center of the room with his back to the small tree there, waiting, not thinking much of anything. He didn’t have anything to think about.

  
He heard the door, and was on his feet in a second. It was him. The hero. He was awash in relief- no more waiting. No more hunger. Kill the hero, then have his freedom.

  
The hero’s appearance gave him pause, however. He watched the other man walk across the room to the locked door, seemingly not seeing the danger watching him. He knew that man. It was the same man he saw in the reflection of the water. They had the same face.

  
Confusion and fear consumed him, and he drew his sword.

  
“Link, look out! It’s Dark Link!” The proclamation came from a small voice that buzzed around the hero’s head, and it made the trapped man furious. He was not an afterthought. He wasn’t a copy or just a version of anything. Was he? No. He couldn’t be. He was his own person somehow, wasn’t he? He didn’t know. He couldn’t remember.

  
Ganondorf expected ‘Dark Link’ to be ruthless, and he was. He lashed out at the hero, barely giving him the chance to draw his own weapon. The metal of their swords making contact with shields rang through the room. The hero’s expression had begun as surprised but twisted into fear and then determination. He wasn’t going to be an easy opponent.

  
Ganondorf expected ‘Dark Link’ to be a challenge and a match in skill to the Hero of Time, and he was. They fought for what seemed like ages, mirroring each other and laying equal and opposite blows.

  
Ganondorf expected ‘Dark’ Link to be fueled by rage, and he was. He was filled to the brim with confusion and anger brought on from being trapped for so long in an empty room, hungry and alone, only for the first person for him to see to have his face. Did anything truly belong to him? Did it ever?

  
Ganondorf expected Dark Link to be cunning, and he was. He broke the pattern of sparring, blocking, circling, and jerked forward to slam into his opponent with his shield. The blow knocked him to the ground, sword skittering across the floor and splashing water. The trapped man stepped over him, slamming a foot down on the wrist that grasped his shield. The man under him cried out in pain as his arm was crushed between the heavy boot and the hard edge of his shield.

  
Ganondorf’s servant had the upper hand and gripped his sword, poised to end things there and then. He hated this man so blindly, but the pleading look on the hero’s familiar face gave him pause. He had been too focused on killing the man under him to truly realize how similar they were, from the shape of their eyebrows to the angle of their noses. That was the same face he saw reflected in the water for so long. It was exactly like staring into a mirror. He was supposed to kill him, sink his sword into the hero as far as it would go, but could he? No, he couldn’t.

  
Ganondorf didn’t expect him to have a conscience. Whether or not this man had answers for why they shared the same face, Dark Link couldn’t kill him. They were the same, somehow. He lowered his hand and gave his sword a toss, following it with his heavy shield. Both pieces of gear splashed loudly somewhere across the room and he stepped back, freeing the hero’s arm and putting space between them.

  
He almost couldn’t bear to look at the hero, and turned away. If Link was to kill him then, he felt it would be justified.

  
“Link, your sword…!” There was that small voice again, the one who called him ‘Dark Link’. He could hear the water splashing as Link, the original, moved. He was getting closer.

  
“Who are you?” Those were the first words he heard Link say, he realized. The blue orb floating around his head chittered nervously, and he could see that it was a fairy. He could see a lot more as Link got closer.

  
“...I don’t know,” he said as he finally made eye contact. He realized then that they were very different in obvious ways. He wasn’t entirely sure what color his own eyes were, but the Hero of Time’s eyes were crystal blue. Link’s entire palette was lighter than his.

  
Link looked up at his glowing companion, furrowing his brow, then back at his look-alike. “Why didn’t you kill me when you could?” Dark Link shrugged, honestly at a loss, and dropped his eyes to the floor.

  
“I didn’t want to.” Their surroundings changed then and transformed from the illusion of eternity in all directions to a simple room. The sudden change was disorienting and the man who had been trapped there for so long only looked more frustrated that there was more he hadn’t known. The bars on the far side of the room slid away from the door and the hero’s fairy jingled, eager to leave. However, Link didn’t seem finished. He kept his eyes on his darker counterpart, searching his face.

  
“What will you do now?” the hero asked, and Dark Link looked away again, avoiding his face. He didn’t answer. “...Why don’t you come with me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! You can always find me over at blatantlyqueer.tumblr.com or shoot me a message!


	2. No Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Names are what make us individuals.

Neither of them were men of many words. The two of them rested on the lake’s grassy shore, watching Lake Hylia’s water rise back to it’s normal level. The man, who refused to think of himself as ‘Dark Link’ or an evil version of anything, stared at the water with furrowed brows and tried to think. There was so little that he could remember about his home, like the color of the sky where he was from and the way it felt to lay in the grass there; but it wasn’t of much use for him when he didn’t know where that was. 

Eventually Link moved and reached for his newfound companion. “Hey, you’re bleeding…”

So he was. There was a wound on his side that started to sting as soon as he acknowledged it. It was a harsh fight to kill the evil that had it’s stranglehold on the lake and the two of them were tossed around more than a few times, but he must have landed on something. He hissed when he placed a hand on it. 

“Come on, let me see,” Link said, reaching for his double in a gesture of compassion without actually touching him. This was wise, considering how little he wanted to be touched. Dressing his wound was important, however, and he begrudgingly undid his belt and pulled his tunic up over his head, followed by his undershirt until he sat in the grass in just his breeches and self-consciousness. He laid down when Link asked him to, and hissed again when his wound was touched. “It’s not too deep, luckily...but it’s still not something you want to leave open.” Once Link had cleaned and wrapped the wound, the other man sat up again. His clothes were bloody and sported substantial tears from whatever he landed on, so he moved closer to the water to scrub them. Eventually he turned to look back at Link to thank him when he noticed a sizeable bruise was blooming on the hero’s cheek; if he was lucky, it wouldn’t turn into a black eye. Link smiled, as if having a bruise that big on your face didn’t hurt. The other man scooted back up the shore with his wet clothes and offered Link his damp undershirt. 

“Here, hold it on your face- the water is cold.” ‘Dark Link’ said, and watched Link wince and press the cold cloth against the slowly growing bruise. 

The fairy, named Navi, had been resting in Link’s hat since they defeated Morpha and emerged then with a light jingle. Her small luminous form could be seen stretching and yawning if one were to look close enough. “Oh, Link! Your face!”

“It’s fine, Navi...nothing I can’t handle.”

“If you say so.” She chittered at Link for a short while about red potions and healing fairies, but the hero insisted that he would be fine. He didn’t have any potions on him, anyway. 

“Oh, um…” Navi began again, a little louder. “Hey, uh. You?” The man who was decidedly Not Link looked up. “What should we call you?” Link looked at him too, and he shifted uncomfortably. “You didn’t tell us your name inside the temple.”

“I can’t remember it.” He didn’t make eye contact. There was silence for a few moments while Link and his fairy considered this.

“Well...is there anything you’d like to be called?”

“It could be anything you want,” Link reassured, his voice optimistic. He seemed to be a very positive person, even fresh out of battle. The darker man was quiet for several more minutes, thinking.

“I’m not sure that I even know myself well enough to give myself a name.”

“That’s alright! We can wait a little while…”

“Or we could just call you ‘Dark’,” Navi offered, and he spun around to stare at her. Link stared as well, nervous. “Oh come on, think about it! If Ganondorf called you ‘Dark Link’ and that makes you angry, would it help if you claimed a part of that name for your own? And if you really don’t like it you can always change it.”

“It doesn’t sound bad on it’s own, really. It’s kind of mysterious...what do you think?”

He rested his arms on his knees and stared out over the water. “I’ll think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! You can always find me over at blatantlyqueer.tumblr.com or shoot me a message!


	3. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Link needs to sail up the river of Time, Dark waits for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see! Sorry for making you wait.

Link stepped over the threshold of the Temple of Time and into the desolate courtyard outside. It was always difficult to go from a vibrant and joyous town to the dark and broken shell Ganondorf left behind in his wake. The courtyard wasn't entirely void of life, however; a shrouded figure sat on the steps not far away. Dark was waiting patiently with his back to the temple, carefully watching the square full of Redeads.

"Link..." Navi fluttered forth, her bell-like voice hushed. "Do you really think we can trust him?" Link was silent for a few moments. He thought back on all of the times he was glad Dark was around. Fighting off larger enemies was much easier with two of them, and he had been more than helpful in the Shadow Temple. Wrapping wounds when there were no fairies around was also much easier with another set of hands. More than anything, though, Dark had already put himself in great danger for Link's sake. They both had done their fair share of bandaging.

"I believe so, yes." Link's voice was gentle. He could feel Navi staring at him and he met her gaze. Her face was scrunched with skepticism. Link decided to elaborate. "He's a profoundly sad man, Navi. You've seen the confusion and hurt in his eyes." Dark always seemed to be grappling with something deep inside of himself. "He isn't evil," Link said confidently. "He has handled the Master Sword many times." Navi didn't reply, surprisingly, and quietly tucked herself away under Link's hat. He stepped up behind Dark and rested a hand gently on his shoulder.

Dark startled slightly and turned to look up at him. "Link!" He lowered the hood of his brown cloak. "You're back." 

"Aye," he smiled down at the other man. "We're ready to return to the desert." He held up his hands, displaying the silver gauntlets that fit there. "We need to find Nabooru." 

"Will those make you stronger?"

"Strong enough to move that stone, hopefully. Are you ready?" He was already retrieving the Ocarina of Time from his pack. Dark nodded and did the same, finding the one that had belonged to Saria.

"I've been practicing," Dark said softly. Link smiled and imagined Dark sitting on the steps thoughtfully practicing melodies. Link had discovered that playing duets was much better than playing to oneself, and was grateful that Dark had been interested in learning. Link let his companion play the Requiem of Spirit and the two disappeared in a glittering glow that raced up into the sky and in the direction of the desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! As always your feedback is very important to me and I'd love to hear suggestions and advice. 
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr at blatantlyqueer.tumblr.com. <3


	4. Twinrova

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Dark learn something important about each other.

The guardians of the Desert Colossus, Twinrova, were more than worthy adversaries. Link and Dark made the right decision to fight them together, as if Dark would have been very keen on Link going alone in the first place. Going up against the old twins together only seemed fair once the fight started, and Dark took it upon himself to make sure the sisters were exactly where they wanted them while Link volleyed spells left and right. 

Shortly after the twins merged into their final form, however, Dark seemingly disappeared from the platforms. Link would only have to volley Twinrova's attacks a few more times as she began to get weak, but he grew nervous. 

"Dark!" He called out for him, gripping the shield that shook with the power collecting on it's surface. Dark didn't answer. The hero intercepted one last fire spell with his shield and pushed forward, the energy pouring out and setting Twinrova aflame. She cried out and crumpled onto a distant platform and before Link could reach her, Dark was there and he was delivering the final blow. 

The two heroes barely noticed the ghosts of the elderly twins ascending into the light, arguing the whole way. They locked eyes and Dark hopped across the gap onto the main platform. They stopped just short of each other. Link's clothes and hair were singed where the shield hadn't quite covered him, and frost bit at Dark's sleeves and dusted his boots, still wet with melting ice. Dark reached out and took Link's hand. 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said. "I wanted to make sure she didn't know I was there." Dark's brow creased with concern, but Link didn't seem scared or angry; he looked relieved. Dark squeezed his hand. "I'd never abandon you," he said with intention. The room was still and silent. 

"I'd never abandon you, either," Link said, his voice soft and quiet in the massiveness of the arena. They stood like that for a moment, regarding each other in a way that might have been more than companionable. Link gave Dark's hand a gentle tug and pulled him into a hug, their gear clinking together and echoing in the space.

Navi let them have their moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	5. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link knows when to give up the spotlight.

This had been a long time coming. 

Dark gripped the Master Sword in his fists, blade dripping with blood and jammed into the skull of the Pig King himself. They were surrounded by fire and destruction and rage, a fitting parallel to the boiling turmoil in Dark's very being. Link knew this was Dark's only chance to get answers. Zelda was on the other side of the fire, loudly protesting for one of them to hurry and make the final blow, but neither man budged. 

Dark's ears were ringing with questions, hundreds of them, but he didn't have time and Ganon didn't, either. There was one question that really mattered. "What is my name?" he demanded. The Pig King snorted, blood and snot dripping from his nostrils. He did not answer. Dark tried again, his voice ringing out through the air, demanding an answer. 

_"What is my name?"_

The silence was deafening. Ganon heaved one last great breath, and exhaled. 

"Ravio." 

Ravio. He tried to take a deep breath, but it caught in his throat. The second breath was more successful, and with a great yell he jammed the Master Sword's sacred blade deeper into Ganon's skull, finishing it. 

The relief that washed over the air was palpable. Ravio, freshly christened, fell to his hands and knees. Tears flowed, but he did not sob.

Not far away, cathartic tears stained Link and Zelda's faces as well as the flames died down. It was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this chapter was so short. As always your feedback is greatly appreciated. Feel free to leave requests, ideas, and suggestions in the comments. 
> 
> You can always find me over at blatantlyqueer.tumblr.com.


	6. A Fresh Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the defeat of Ganon, Link and Ravio try to find a place in their newly peaceful world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you have been waiting for an update for a very long time, and I hope some of you are still there! Many blessings to you, I hope you enjoy it. <3

Being celebrated was strange for Link. He wasn't very comfortable being the center of attention, and he was the center of a _lot_ of attention. He snuck away as soon as he had the chance and was very happy to find himself out in Hyrule Field and away from the loud celebration at Lon Lon Ranch.

"Too much for you?" Link recognized the voice right away. Ravio stepped out from behind the nearby tree, lowering his hood. He still wore the cloak in public, during the day, or wherever there might be people around. The Hylians were a superstitious people.

"It would have been easier if you were there." Link smiled and Ravio felt his eats grow hot.

"I don't think that would be a good idea...but I would have liked to celebrate with you."

"We could always celebrate on our own. Have you been here this whole time?"

Ravio nodded. "I didn't know what happened to you after Ganon was sealed away...but I heard about the celebration and hoped that you'd be here."

"And here I am."

"Here you are." They grinned at each other. Something about Ravio's smile made Link's chest tight. The fact that Ravio had been looking for him knocked him off-balance. 

"Is everything alright?"

"Of course, it's just...well, I've been following you and Navi around for a while. I don't really know where to go next. I just...wanted to find you." Ravio's eyes were a piercing green, and Link realized just how much he missed the other man's company, even if it had only been a day or so.

"Ravio," Link said, speaking the name aloud for the first time, "Will you come with me to Lake Hylia? I'd like to be somewhere quiet." Ravio nodded.

"I would like that very much."

X

The two men settled on the grassy sore of the lake, much like they had done after defeating Morpha. They removed their gauntlets and gear so they could relax and let their bodies breathe. The battle was over for good this time. 

"Link...where's Navi?" Ravio asked as he slipped his hat off his head.

"Oh, she...left." Link sounded notably sad.

"Left?"

"If I had to guess, she went back to the forest."

"Maybe we can go look for her later," Ravio suggested, and scooted closer to Link. The fairer hero changed the subject.

"Do you like your name?"

"It's strange after going by another for a while, but it feels familiar. I like it, but it almost doesn't seem real."

"I'm glad you found out," Link said softly. It was dark out, but the moon was full and bounced light off the water. Ravio looked over at him.

"I never would have found out without you." Link's chest felt tight again, and Ravio smiled and looked out over the water.

They sat in silence for a short while and watched the water. Link could feel the bruises that decorated his body; he was sore and battered and he knew Ravio was, too. There were two heroes of Hyrule, after all. Link hadn't felt great taking the credit for the things Ravio had done. His friend was more than worthy of being celebrated alongside him, but he wasn't sure how safe Ravio would be. At the very least, Link and Zelda knew the truth of his sacrifice and heroism.

"Link?" Ravio's voice shook him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" Link looked to Ravio, who still gazed at the lake.

"Will you say my name?" His voice was soft but purposeful. Link felt profoundly that he understood what he was being asked. 

"Ravio."

"Again?"

"Ravio." Link had forgotten how close they were sitting. They had been closer.

"Again." He thought about all of the times they had been closer. Every time they both needed to get somewhere with the Longshot Ravio would step in close and hold on tight.

"Ravio." He thought about how they shared Epona's saddle and Ravio would squeeze his waist when she'd speed up.

"Again." Ravio turned to look at him. Link thought about how his friend would rest his forehead against his shoulder when the exhaustion became too much and horseback was the only chance he had to rest.

"Ravio." For a moment they locked eyes silently. Link almost forgot to breathe.

Ravio, feeling painfully real for the first time, closed the space between them and pressed their mouths together. They were both warm and soft and firm. When they parted moments later, they were both jittery with excitement. Link hadn't even realized that this was what he wanted until it happened. Ravio grinned slowly. Link grinned back.

Ravio slipped his arms around the other man's neck and they sank down into the grass. "Is this okay?" he asked softly. Link just smiled and kissed him again, letting his very tired body rest against his friend's. They kissed again and again, but not with fervor. They were slow and calm and soon they relaxed into each other, content to hold onto one another and feel warm and safe. Link had a feeling they would fall asleep, cheek to cheek, and he was okay with that. The lake was calm and the gentle sigh of the water made him even sleepier.

Link smiled as he drifted off, realizing that Ravio had been his first kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, please leave me your thoughts, ideas, requests, or criticisms. <3 Feel free to send me a message or find me on tumblr at blatantlyqueer.


	7. Archery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio practices his aim, and Link consults with an adult.

Link woke early that morning as the sun rose. It was hard to stay asleep out in the open, not like when he could sleep the day away at home in Kokiri forest. Upon opening his eyes he found Ravio sleeping peacefully. He was curled up close with his head resting heavily on Link’s chest. The sun peeking over the horizon didn’t rouse Ravio, who gently continued to snore.

Very shortly later, Link winced and felt that his left arm, held captive by a snuggly Ravio, had fallen asleep. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb him, but...sweet Nayru, he had to move his arm.

Link slipped his numb arm out from under the sleeping man, who stirred awkwardly.

“Hey…” Link reached up with his better arm and ran his fingers through Ravio’s dark hair. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Ravio yawned hugely, and maybe more dramatically than he needed to.

“Mm, that’s okay…” He grunted and shifted around. “My hip is asleep...ow, ow.” He sat up stiffly.

“Aye, so is my arm.”

“Oh! Sorry. That’s my fault, isn’t it?” Link laughed softly and shook his head. The two of them stretched in the morning sun. Dew stuck to their clothing and Link shivered. He reached out for Ravio’s hand.

“Hey, let’s go somewhere.”

X

The Gerudo people knew Link and Ravio. The valley was one of the few places Ravio could walk freely.

Link trudged up the hill towards the archery range. He had been looking for Nabooru but was steered towards the range, where Ravio was probably already waiting for him. Ravio had often lamented his sub-par aim with a bow, and was determined to practice.

When Link crested the hill he found Nabooru standing in the shade with another woman and Ravio in the distance practicing. 

“Nabooru! There you are.”

“Looking for me?” The woman smiled at him. She was always very kind and happy to see him, even when she gave him a hard time.

“Yes! Nothing urgent, just personal.” He tried to hide the fact that he was winded from scaling the hill. Nabooru turned to the Gerudo woman next to her. 

“Eleli, will you go help Ravio with his technique? Thank you.” When they were alone, she looked to him expectantly. Link wasn’t entirely sure where to start.

“Nabooru…do you known of any stories about twins?”

“Twins?”

“Well, not twins, but…” He gestured towards Ravio.

“Ah, I see. Hm...I have heard of shadow doubles before. They’re bad luck.” She looked out at Ravio and Eleli. Link looked, too. He hadn’t noticed it before, but Ravio was walking _very_ feely. The darker man was shirtless under the hot desert sun and the sight made Link very distracted. “He doesn’t seem like bad luck to you, though,” Nabooru added. Link didn’t answer. He was enamored for a moment with how seriously Ravio was treating his archery. He looked tired and sweaty, which endeared and distracted Link at the same time. 

Nabooru looked at Link and grinned wide. “Kid...are you sweet on him?” Link looked back at her, looking flustered.

“Is that weird?”

“Oh yes, it’s weird.” Link looked away, embarrassed. Nabooru elbowed him gently. “But you’re weird, too. It’s not a bad thing. And after everything you’ve done for our world...I’m actually quite glad you have him.” The hero smiled at her weakly. “If you feel for him don’t be afraid of it.”

“It’s not even about him sometimes, I just...don’t know what I’m doing.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Well...you know how I took up the Master Sword when I was eleven and magically woke up seven years later?” It sounded ridiculous when said aloud, but it was true. He was forced, quite literally, to mature quickly.

“Ah, you didn’t get to grow up.”

“I mean, I wasn’t even supposed to. I thought I was a Kokiri. They stay eleven-ish forever.” Link hadn’t talked to anyone like this other than Ravio in a very long time. It was much easier to talk to Nabooru than the other adults in his life, anyway.

“Hm...you can read, right? I think I have some things that could help you. I’ll get them. Go be with your mysterious one.” She smiled at Link and winked before heading down the hill. “Eleli! Come with me please.” 

Eleli dutifully took her leave of Ravio and followed Nabooru down the incline, leaving the two men alone and unsupervised. Link made his way over to Ravio, who was watching him approach.

“Hey,” Ravio said. “You weren’t gossiping about me, I hope.” He pushed his damp hair out of this eyes and fixed his gaze on Link. 

“We were, actually.” Link’s smile was sweet and gentle. “Only good things, I promise.”

“Do you think she likes me?”

“Who?”

“Nabooru.”

“Of course she does.” He was about to ask about Ravio’s doubts, but he changed the subject.

“Here,” Ravio handed the bow to Link. “This is your wheelhouse, show me how it’s done.” He flashed a cheeky grin and stepped off to the side. Link was self-conscious and Ravio knew. He watched his hero clear his throat and plant his feet. He was instantly serene and focused and it was clear that this came naturally to him. 

Ravio loved to watch him. Link was a beautiful man and he felt lucky. There were plenty of women in Hyrule that would wed him in an instant. For the time being, at least, he had the Hero of Time to himself. Ravio should have been paying attention to Link’s archery, but he wasn’t. He was watching that serious expression on Link’s face.

Link shot five arrows, one after the other, that all landed in the center ring of the bullseye. Ravio snapped out of it.

“Oh, damn.” He turned to Link. “How long have you been using a bow?” Link grinned and looked down bashfully. 

“I got a lot of practice after I found mine.” Ravio stepped in close to him. The shirtless man reached up and gently tucked Link’s hair out of his face. His hand rested on Link’s shoulder. 

“You’re incredible, you know that?” Ravio grinned when he saw Link’s blush. “You’re such a hero.” Link looked puzzled for a moment and looked about to speak before Ravio, again, changed the subject. He was good at that. “Aren’t you hot in this?” He tugged at Link’s white collar under his tunic. He could tell the other man was getting sweaty- his skin glowed. Link blushed darker. 

“I mean, a little bit…” Ravio was about to try to convince him to shed a few layers when Nabooru called out to them. 

“Boys! I have something for you.” She was carrying a cloth bag which she handed to Link. “These are for you.” When Link peered inside he found three books nestled there. “And this is for you, Ravio.” She pressed something small into his hands. “I think this will prove to be a worthy companion to you.” Ravio looked down at the thing. It was a violet stone in the shape of a teardrop and was strung on a brown leather chord. 

“Oh!” He was confused, but grateful all the same. “Thank you. It’s very pretty.”

“Just like you.” Nabooru grinned and patted the side of Ravio’s face. He smiled. It was nice to see Nabooru, maybe because she knew Ravio felt like such an outsider. He pulled the necklace over his head and it settled comfortably against his chest.

“Thank you, Nabooru,” Link said, and stepped in to give her a friendly kiss on the cheek. “We should get back, I’m getting awfully tired.”

“I think all of that heroism is catching up to you,” she said. Ravio also thanked her and kissed her cheek, which earned him a kiss in return. “Take care of eachother, boys,” she called after them as they headed back down the hill, waving goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, please let me know what you think and don't be afraid to leave requests and ideas! <3


	8. Teenagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio are still technically teenagers, and so they do what teenagers do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! You might have noticed that the rating on this fic has risen to Mature! This chapter is going to contain sexual content. <3 I hope you enjoy it.

The Lost Woods were one of Link and Ravio’s favorite places. It was quiet and peaceful there, as well as private and safe. The Kokiri almost never ventured so far into the forest except for Saria, but she already knew about Ravio. Link couldn’t keep that secret from his best friend.

It was early in the afternoon and Link sat on the tree stump next to the crumbled remains of the steps to the Forest Temple. He was engrossed in one of the books Nabooru had given him. The three books included one about love and relationships, the second about the science of the body, and the last about shadow doubles. He was reading about shadow worlds first, but not because he was nervous or anything, of course.

Ravio was perched at the top of what used to be the staircase, feet swinging gently in the air. He was playing his ocarina and trying to make new melodies, but it was harder than he thought it’d be. He played a few songs that he knew as an offering to the forest and the Temple, feeling for a moment the great age of the place. 

When his notes faded from his ears, he tucked his ocarina away. Ravio scooted over, far enough so he could peer down at Link below him. He didn’t know what the books were that Nabooru gave him, but he could tell by the way Link treated them that they were private. He supposed he could respect that. He really did want to know, though.

“Hey, Link?” Ravio called out gently. Link looked up at him. “I’m coming down.” Link put his book down and came closer as Ravio awkwardly lowered himself over the edge of the stairs.

“I’ve got you,” Link said, arms held out to catch him.

“No, you don’t have to ca-!” As soon as it occurred to Ravio just how far the drop was a piece of rubble gave way under one of his hands and he fell. To Link’s credit he did catch Ravio, but the two of them still collapsed in an awkward heap in the grass. Ravio immediately felt like an ass for landing on Link, but as soon as the hero caught his breath he was laughing.

Ravio grinned and watched Link’s face light up with laughter. It was probably the purest thing he’d ever seen, and the laughter was contagious. It bled over into him like water and he laughed too, pulling Link towards him and pressing his lips against his cheek. Link’s laughter died down into giggles and he held onto Ravio. He took a deep breath.

“I’m glad I could break your fall.”

“You ass! You didn’t have to try and catch me,” Ravio laughed again and ran his hands over Link’s face, smoothing his hair out of his eyes. “Your hair is getting long.” He nudged Link’s hat off his head so he could weave his fingers into his tresses.

“Maybe I should cut it.”

“You’re beautiful,” Ravio said. His voice was gentle but he spoke with confidence, as he usually did. Link blinked up at him. That was a strange way to respond.

“What?” His voice was small.

“You’re beautiful,” he said again and rested his forehead against Link’s, peering into his eyes. Link felt like Ravio’s eyes saw straight into his soul and his breath wavered for just a moment before he leaned up and pressed their lips together.

Ravio spent a lot of time feeling out of place, lost, and like he didn’t belong. Link made him feel different. He kissed the hero back in earnest and more aggressively than before. He didn’t want to part from the other man but they were still in a tangled and awkward heap. Link made a soft noise in protest when Ravio moved away but he was back in an instant. Ravio straddled Link’s waist and loomed over him. Link gulped.

“Is this okay?” Ravio had a very intense look in his eye and it made Link’s stomach flutter. He nodded up at the other man and reached out, grabbing his face and pulling him back down into a kiss. 

Ravio had quietly wanted this for so long, and now the tension was so strong his stomach ached for it. Link gripped Ravio’s arms desperately and found himself arching his back up against Ravio, trying to press their bodies together. The darker man broke their exploration of each other’s mouths and planted kisses along Link’s cheeks and jawline. Suddenly, Link pressed his hands against Ravio’s shoulders.

“R-ravio, wait…” he said weakly. Ravio froze and looked down at him, worry creasing his brow. “Ravio, I don’t know what I’m doing…”

Ravio huffed a soft laugh and gazed down at Link, flushed and perfect staring up at him. “Me neither.” He didn’t know what he was doing, but he wanted to touch Link so badly. Anywhere, everywhere. And he knew where the aches were coming from. He wanted to touch those aches.

Link bit his lip and clenched the fabric of Ravio’s tunic in his hands. “Kiss me again. Touch me more,” he said softly, and Ravio was more than happy to oblige. He picked up where he left off, peppering kisses along Link’s jaw and neck. He ran his hand over the hero’s strong chest and his thumb caught the sensitive bud of flesh hidden under his shirt. Link gasped and shivered at the sensation and writhed under Ravio’s weight. His writhing elicited a strong reaction from Ravio, who pulled away from lavishing Link’s neck with kisses. He clasped the hand that wasn’t holding himself up over his mouth and moaned into it loudly.

Ravio blushed a deep shade of crimson and pressed his hips down against Link’s. The two men moaned and gasped, but Ravio kept his hand over his mouth. Link reached up and tugged at his hand- he wanted to hear him. The other man let Link pull his hand away and they threaded their fingers together. 

Link could feel that delicious ache in his loins and pressed up against Ravio, searching for relief, and he found it. The two of them settled into a rhythm; a slow canter of hips that made them gasp and cling to each other. Ravio braced his forearms against the ground on either side of Link’s head so he could kiss his hero while he languidly rolled his hips. 

It wasn’t long before Link started to fall apart, breathing heavily and wrapping his arms around Ravio’s neck. “Ravio-! Ravio, don’t stop…” The other man didn’t have the breath or words to assure him he had no intentions of stopping. A few rolls of their hips later and Link was gasping and clawing at Ravio’s shoulders, words and sounds caught in his throat. The ache crested in him and he shook against the other man’s body, feeling as if every nerve in him had been rubbed raw. 

Ravio stopped moving and held onto Link as he came, soothing his shuddering body. When Link could breathe again he blinked up at the other man, his cerulean eyes wet with gentle tears. He looked exhausted but peaceful, and he glowed. Ravio gently wiped away a tear with his thumb before kissing Link sweetly.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly. Link nodded up at him emphatically, a grin slowly growing on his face.

“What about you…?” His voice was very quiet as his breathing began to slow. Ravio smiled down at him.

“I’m just fine,” he replied. His own ache was still very pertinent, but he was more worried about Link. Link wasn’t worried about himself, though, and he looked down between them. He could see Ravio’s erection still tenting his tunic and he decided to do something brave. 

Link trailed a hand over Ravio’s shoulder and down his chest, skating his fingers over the other man’s abdomen until he ran his hand over the hard protrusion hidden under the layers of Ravio’s clothing. Ravio gasped loudly and pressed his hips forward into Link’s hand. He sounded desperate and it was something Link had never heard from him before. He slipped his hand up under the edge of Ravio’s tunic and felt through his breeches, pressing his hand against the hardness there. The desperate man pressed against Link’s hand and moaned, shaking and gasping. Link kissed Ravio’s face and pulled his hand away, his palm wet. 

Ravio panted and tried to catch his breath. His limbs shook from holding himself up over Link and he slid off to the side. Link snuggled up close to Ravio and wrapped his arm around his waist. They laid in the grass and let their minds float for a while. The two men listened to the birds chitter in the trees until eventually Link spoke up.

“Ravio?”

“Mm…?”

“I...I love you.”

Ravio looked at him and the grass tickled his cheek. Link looked up at him with crystal clear eyes and Ravio’s chest ached. He couldn’t hide the slight tears that welled up in his eyes.

He whispered back, “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	9. A Place to Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link does some spring cleaning, and Ravio takes an important first step.

Ravio deserved a place to sleep. Not a cot or a bedroll or a comfortable patch of grass, but an actual bed. Link was tired of hiding him. Ravio was a part of his life and didn’t seem to be going anywhere, so continuing to hide him didn’t seem right.

Link spent an entire day working in his home in Kokiri Forest to clear out all of the furniture. He felt like a giant among all of the items that were built for children. There was also the issue of the cow. Honestly, he loved the cow. She was a sweet creature and was surprisingly comforting, but she couldn’t live in his house. He didn’t want to give her back to Lon Lon Ranch, either…

Saria and Link spent three hours getting the cow out of the house without Ravio’s help. Link was adamant about the house being a surprise, so they did it on their own with Link’s golden gauntlets and some determination.

The rest of the Kokiri also pitched in and took away most of Link’s old furniture. He was infinitely grateful for their help and also for their gifts, which included an adult-sized bed and a chair. Once everything seemed ready, Link took his leave of his friends and headed deep into the forest with Saria.

They found Ravio sitting in a small meadow in the Lost Woods, playing his ocarina. The song he played was unfamiliar, and Link wondered if it was something new he’d written. Ravio stopped playing as Link and Saria approached.

“Hi Ravio!” Saria was as friendly as ever- she had taken a short while to warm up to Ravio, but it didn’t take long once she saw how happy he made Link. Ravio smiled at her.

“Hello Saria, it’s good to see you.”

“We have something to talk to you about!” Saria was beaming and Link wondered which of them was more excited. Saria _loved_ surprises. Ravio looked tense- he didn’t always feel the same. Link knew the house would be a good surprise, though. First, however, Ravio would have to meet the Kokiri.

“Trust me,” Link said. “I want to introduce you to the Kokiri.” Panic flashed behind Ravio’s eyes.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ravio was immediately defensive and he gripped the ocarina in his hands.

“I wouldn’t want to if I didn’t think it would be safe.” The Kokiri were arguably the least threatening group of people in Hyrule for Ravio to meet for the first time and they were a good place to start.

“I’ve got your back, too.” Saria stepped up next to Link. “The Kokiri listen to me. I promise you’ll be safe.” Ravio was clearly very nervous, but he took a deep breath and stood up. Link cupped Ravio’s face with his hand. 

“I don’t want you to have to hide forever. You have a right to be here.” Ravio leaned his face into Link’s hand and nodded.

“Okay...I trust you,” Ravio said. Link leaned in and kissed him gently.

“Are you ready?” Saria was jittery with excitement. When Ravio nodded she grabbed their hands and led them both out of the forest.

X

Ravio was petrified. He kept his brown cloak pulled tightly around him. The three friends stood before over a dozen ageless eleven-year-olds. 

“Hi everyone! Link and I have someone we want you to meet.” Saria’s enthusiasm was contagious, and the rest of the Kokiri gave her their undivided attention.

“This is Ravio. He’s my very good friend.” Link rested his hand on his shadow’s shoulder and looked at him supportingly.

Ravio lowered his hood.

There were murmurs and soft ‘oooh’s from the small crowd and Ravio shifted awkwardly. 

“Ravio helped me defeat Ganondorf. I know it’s a little scary that we look the same, but I promise that he’d never do you any harm.” 

“How can we be sure?!” Mido, ever the naysayer, shouted from the back of the group.

“MIDO!” Saria yelled out, hushing the entire forest. “He’s my friend, too!” Link had never heard Saria shout before.

“I can prove it,” Link reached over his shoulder and drew the Master Sword. “This is the blade of evil’s bane. Evil cannot touch it.” He held the sword out to Ravio. The darker man took the holy sword with gentle hands and held it, even touching the blade with his bare hands as he had many times before. His skin did not blister or burn.

The Kokiri murmured amongst each other and Mido stomped way angrily. He hated being wrong, and he was wrong very often. Link took his sword back and Ravio wring his hands nervously once they were empty.

Eventually, one of the Kokiri bounced up to Ravio and held out her hand to him.

“Hi mister! What’s your name again?”

“R...Ravio.” He cautiously shook her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you!” She introduced herself before bounding away, carrying on her business. Soon almost all of the Kokiri greeted or introduced themselves to Ravio before taking their leave. When the three of them were alone in front of Link’s house, Ravio looked around at the entirety of their small community.

“I was so scared…” he huffed a soft laugh and tried to take a deep breath as his anxiety ebbed. “I was so scared of a bunch of kids.” Link rested a hand on his friend’s back.

“You did really well. I know it was scary for you.” The sun was slowly sinking behind the horizon. “Hey, we have a surprise for you. Climb up.” He gestured to the ladder that led up to his front door and Ravio dutifully climbed it. 

“I’ll leave you to it,” Saria said. She tugged on Link’s hand. “You have to tell me how he reacts later!” Link leaned down and gathered Saria up into a big hug.

“Thank you so much, Saria.”

“Of course! Anything for you guys. Now go get some rest, you’ve been working all day.” Saria grinned up at her friend and then headed home. Link climbed up after Ravio and followed him inside. He was looking around the small room.

“Is this…?” 

“It’s for us, yes.” Link smiled and slipped Ravio’s cloak off his shoulders. “I know it’s a little small, but it’s something for now.” 

“No, it’s...it’s great.” He smiled and looked back at Link, who looked bashful. “Is this where you were all day?” 

“I mean, not _all_ day…”

“You’re so sweet to me, Link...thank you.” Ravio stepped in close and rested their foreheads together. “I just want you to know...how much I appreciate all of what you do for me.”

“Of course,” Link said softly. He wasn’t sure how to respond. “I just thought you deserved to sleep in a bed.” Ravio grinned and kissed him sweetly. He wrapped his arms around the lighter man’s shoulders, who rested his hands on Ravio’s waist. He reluctantly broke their kiss.

“Such a hero…” he said. “Will you sleep with me?” Link blinked at him. He wasn’t sure which way Ravio meant it, but the answer was yes either way.

“Of course,” he said quietly, and followed Ravio over to the new bed against the wall. It wasn’t built for two people, but he had a feeling they would make it work. Link’s fatigue caught up with him as he undressed. As soon as he considered just laying down in his tunic and underclothes, Ravio stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Link leaned back against him.

“I can feel how tired you are,” Ravio said softly. Link made a soft noise in his throat.

“I’m very tired.” He chuckled softly. Ravio tugged Link’s tunic up over his head and set it down with his own. 

“Come on,” Ravio laid down on the bed first, scooting to one side and beckoning Link to slide in with him. When they were both situated in the small space Link pulled the cloth blanket over them and settled into Ravio’s arms. He was so warm…

Ravio listened to Link’s breathing until it turned into gentle snores and soon followed him into a comfortable slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'm working on some plot stuff that I hope you'll enjoy. <3


	10. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link meets with Zelda for the first time since Ganon's fall, and Ravio teaches him something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains sexual content! Because this is a fanfiction, after all, and I'm nothing if not self indulgent.

Hyrule Castle was a threatening place to be with it’s high ceilings and lavish decorations. Link waited in Zelda’s personal study, feeling self-conscious. He was glad he’d worn his blue tunic- it was the cleanest and best kept of his clothes. The hero was nervous to see Zelda. He hadn’t seen her since he turned down her offer to give him back his childhood.

It was very compassionate of her to offer him the seven years of childhood he missed, but there were some things that couldn’t be undone. He couldn’t simply go back to before he became a hero.

Becoming a hero hadn’t exactly been easy. Link was christened as an adult through divine purpose and violence. He had seen enough blood and fight for a lifetime and couldn’t imagine being a carefree child again. His life would always be tinted with the struggle he endured. Instead, turning back time would just feel like waiting to be an adult again. He wouldn’t have Ravio, either. It would be as if they never met.

Zelda entered the room suddenly and Link startled out of his thoughts. 

“Link! It’s so good to see you.” The princess swept into the room and gently shut the door behind her. Link stood up politely. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t come to see you sooner…” he began, but Zelda wrapped him in a gentle hug.

“You don’t have to be sorry, you just fought a long and tireless battle for our country.” She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. “I understand your need to retreat.” She smiled at him warmly and sat in one of the reading chairs. “Have you come to accept your knighthood?”

“Knighthood?” Link gaped slightly. “Oh, no. No. I mean, maybe?” Zelda laughed, her voice clear and bright like a bell.

“To what do I owe your visit, Link?” 

“Well…” he shifted awkwardly and pulled out one of the books Nabooru had given him. “I’ve been reading about ‘shadow worlds’.” Zelda regarded him thoughtfully.

“You want to find out where Ravio came from,” she said knowingly. “I’m familiar with some of the old stories of other worlds that are like ours, but...different.” 

“...Really?” Link watched as Zelda rose out of her chair and scanned through the volumes of books on a far shelf. It was as if he didn’t even need to ask. She returned with a small, old book.

“In this, you will find the very old stories of a world similar to ours.” She handed it to Link, but held on for a moment longer. “This book is very old. Please take care of it and heed it’s contents.” Link blinked up at her.

“I-I will. Thank you.” He looked down at the small brown book in his hands.

“You care very deeply for him,” the princess said. Link blushed softly and nodded. Zelda smiled. “Where is he?”

“Back in Kokiri forest…” He looked up at her. “That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I have a house in Kokiri Forest from when I was a child, but...it’s not exactly a home.”

“Are you asking for a house?”

Link blinked at her. “Yes? I think so.”

“Choose a place and let me know.” She smiled at him wisely. “I will get in touch with the carpenters.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” A sharp series of knocks rapped against the door of the study. Zelda sighed. “That’s my cue, Link.” She stood again and Link rose as well. “Come by again soon. Bring Ravio. I will send you correspondences concerning the house. For now, unfortunately, I must take my leave.” She embraced Link again and lovingly cupped the back of his head. “Don’t be a stranger,” she said softly.

“I won’t.”

X

Link had given Ravio permission to read the books Nabooru had given him. The hero admittedly hadn’t even touched the one about intimate relationships, but Ravio was very interested in it’s contents. He was sitting in that small meadow in the woods again, reading. Link’s house was very nice and he was grateful for the shelter, but he didn’t actually feel alone when surrounded by the Kokiri. He prefered to read in silence.

Off in the distance, Ravio could hear the somber notes of the Nocturne of Shadow echo through the trees. He looked up from his book and listened. The song played again, surely from Link’s ocarina. Ravio took out his own ocarina and echoed the Nocturne of Shadow back to him. He played the tune a few times, and a few minutes later Link rounded the corner. The hero grinned and tucked his ocarina away.

“There you are. You’re not hiding, are you?”

“No, no…” Ravio assured him. “Not at all. Honestly, I just...wanted to be alone.”

“You mean, to be away from the Kokiri?” Link sat down on the grass next to Ravio.

“Yeah.” Ravio sounded embarrassed. Link understood, though. 

“We don’t have to live here. Actually, we can live anywhere we want.”

“What do you mean? Where?”

“Anywhere. Zelda wants to build me a house. An actual one. For adults.” Link smiled at Ravio, who chuckled. 

“Really?”

“She was more than willing. I barely even asked, and she told me to just pick a spot.”

“Where do you think you’ll choose?”

“I’m not sure...I hoped you and I would choose a spot together.”

Ravio’s chest ached. He loved this man so much. Link would give Ravio the clothes off his back if he needed them.

“So…” Ravio, the king of diversions, changed the subject. “I’m been doing some reading.”

“Yeah?” Link’s voice wavered slightly- he knew what book Ravio was reading. The darker man closed the book in his lap and set it aside, fixing his gaze on Link.

“It’s given me some ideas…” Ravio crept up on Link, who squirmed awkwardly. “Can I show you?” Link gulped and nodded. “Just tell me to stop if you’re uncomfortable.” Ravio sat back on his heels in front of Link and reached out to him. He laced his fingers through Link’s blonde hair and knocked his hat off. The hero made a soft noise in his throat as Ravio gently scraped his nails along his scalp. Ravio leaned in and kissed him sweetly, then slid his hand around to the back of Link’s head and gripped a handful of hair. Link gasped deliciously into Ravio’s mouth. 

“You’re incredible,” Ravio breathed and he straddled Link’s lap. He tugged gently on the fistfull of hair and Link gasped again and shivered, tilting his head back and exposing his neck. 

Ravio descended on LInk’s throat with kisses and gentle teeth, nipping at his sensitive skin and leaving behind soft pink blooms of color- leaving behind his mark. 

Link was absolutely enamored with this man and part of him wanted to let Ravio do whatever he wanted, but there were things he wanted to do, too. Link’s hands wandered down Ravio’s back and along his thighs, squeezing them in his hands and feeling their strength as they straddled him. Ravio relinquished his grip and petted Link’s hair. He licked gently into Link’s mouth, who licked back and laughed softly.

“That’s weird.”

“It’s fun, though.” Ravio kissed him again and Link surprised him by grabbing him by the face and kissing back, intense and urgent. The two men were swept away by each other and they rolled in the grass in each other’s arms. Ravio fussed with his belt and tugged it off before doing the same with Link’s. The darker man sat on top of Link like before and slipped his hands up under his tunic. Link shivered from Ravio’s cold skin, but he savored the sensation as those smart hands hiked his tunic and undershirt all the way up under his chin. Ravio pressed his hands flat against Link’s chest before gently thumbing over his nipples, which perked up against the cool air. Link gasped softly and squirmed, but not unpleasantly. He slid his own hands up Ravio’s tunic, wanting to return the favor, and pinched the first nipple his hand found. Ravio twitched and moaned, and the two men rolled again.

Link and Ravio wound up lying together in the foliage, kissing heatedly. They pressed their bodies against each other desperately until Ravio trailed a thoughtful hand down Link’s front, pausing just before ducking his fingers below the waist of his pants. 

“Is this-?”

“Yes! Yes, sweet Nayru, yes.” The hero kissed Ravio again as he slipped his hand down his breeches, nervous, but very excited. Ravio gently wrapped his hand around the urgent hardness between Link’s legs. Link gasped loudly against Ravio’s mouth and bucked his hips into the other man’s hand. Ravio grinned and stroked him slowly, but Link was doing most of the work by rolling his hips. It was clumsy and awkward but they felt perfect.

Link came into Ravio’s hand, making soft and desperate noises. Tears stuck to the corners of his eyes. Ravio held him, smiling at him lovingly as he came down from the high. 

When Link’s breathing slowed he looked up at Ravio with wet eyes. He reached out and cupped the darker man’s cheek. “I went first again.”

“That’s alright,” he leaned into Link’s hand and kissed his palm. “I like making you feel good. You’re so beautiful.” Ravio’s voice was soft and while he also desperately wanted to get off, he needed Link to feel safe and comfortable.

“I want to make you feel good, too.” Link’s hand slid down from Ravio’s face, over his chest, and towards the obvious place. Ravio sucked in a slow breath and pressed his hips into Link’s hand. “I don’t really...know what I’m doing,” Link said, and laughed at himself under his breath. 

“Just...touch me. Like I touched you,” he said softly, and he reached down. With Link’s help, he slipped his pants downward. Ravio’s breath wavered when his skin hit the air. Link explored gently with his hand, pressing his fingers against parts of Ravio’s lower body experimentally. The darker man huffed a laugh. “Getting familiar?”

Link blushed slightly and didn’t meet his gaze. He was too busy focusing on something else. “Kind of, yeah.” He pressed his thumb against the underside of the head of Ravio’s cock, eliciting a sharp gasp. Link decided to stop teasing and took Ravio’s length in his hand. He imitated the motions the other man had used on him and, judging by the way he jerked and moaned, he was doing something right. Ravio pressed his face into Link’s hair and held onto him tightly, as if he could somehow disappear any moment. It didn’t take very long before Ravio was coming undone and he found himself begging Link not to stop. Link, his head resting against Ravio’s chest so he could watch what he was doing with his hands, grinned widely. He had zero intention of stopping, of course, but hearing Ravio sound so desperate almost made him want to take his hand away to see how he’d react.

Link didn’t take his hand away and instead kept petting Ravio until he came, muffling a cry against Link’s hair. His hips shook with the aftershocks and Link let him hold on. Link wasn’t familiar with whatever it was that stuck to his hand after Ravio came and he didn’t feel like it was the time to ask, so he wiped his hand in the grass. 

Ravio murmured something into Link’s hair. The blonde man pulled back so he could look up at him. “Hm?”

“I love you,” Ravio said breathlessly, and he fell silent as he tried to breathe. Link smiled and kissed Ravio’s face.

 

“I love you too, Ravio.” The silence stretched out around them and Link listened closely. The forest whispered softly in birdsongs and breezes and he tried to hear what they were saying. No such luck.

The hero’s thoughts drifted towards the information he had gathered. Very soon, he’d talk to Ravio about the shadow world and what it could mean for him. He hoped they could find it together, and that maybe it would bring the man he loved some peace. The idea made him giddy, honestly.

Link heard soft snores and he looked up at Ravio, who had fallen asleep with his breeches still around his knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	11. Into the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio take the plunge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that plot stuff I promised?

Link said that he had something important to tell him about. Ravio followed him along the bridges over Lake Hylia and onto the island at the center of the water, watching Link curiously. When the two came to the grassy island Link sat down in the grass. Ravio plopped down across from him.

“So...what’s going on?” Ravio looked at Link. He couldn’t shake the slight worry he felt, but he didn’t get the feeling anything was wrong.

“Well…” He wasn’t sure where to start. He took a slow breath. “I’ve been doing a lot of reading. There are old stories about another world like Hyrule. It exists alongside ours and also kind of in the same place.” Ravio regarded him with a mix of confusion and skepticism. Link bit his lip and tried again. “Okay. I’m going to say some things you might not like. Do you trust me?”

“To the ends of the world,” he said, not missing a beat.

“Do you remember how Navi knew you as ‘Dark’ Link?” He held Ravio’s gaze; he knew the other man didn’t like to talk about this, but he looked calm.

“I do.” 

“Well, what if there was a ‘Dark’ Hyrule? With a ‘Dark’ Zelda and a ‘Dark’ Lake Hylia?”

“...Are you saying this because there is one?”

“I think so. Nabooru gave me a book on it, and Zelda gave me this one.” Link produced the two books from their cloth bag and showed them to Ravio. He tapped the smaller book Zelda had loaned him. “This book says it’s called Lorule.”

“...Lorule?” Ravio’s voice was soft. It sounded familiar...and not just because it was so painfully similar to Hyrule; not to mention the wordplay. He’d heard it before. Link watched Ravio’s face as he considered this.

“Are you okay?” Link asked softly.

“No, yes, I’m…” Ravio laughed softly. “You think that’s where I came from?”

“I mean...I think so.” He desperately wanted it to be true. He wanted Ravio’s feet to finally rest on solid ground. Ravio looked out over the clear blue water.

“Link, I… I’m so glad that I might not be crazy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I remember things. I have dreams. For a while I was convinced that I was just some puppet. That Ganondorf made me; that I wasn’t anyone aside from a monster made to kill you. But I remember some things. Like...I sometimes dream about a different sky with different constellations. I remember the colors of the trees and the grass and how it smelled.” Ravio looked very far away as he spoke. “Then I had a name, and I felt so real.”

“You _are_ real,” Link said softly. Ravio smiled and met his eyes.

“I don’t always feel that way.” Link was honestly a little upset that Ravio had never told him these things, but he knew Ravio needed him to listen. “Link…” Ravio pulled out his ocarina. He lifted the instrument to his mouth and played. The song he played was foreign to Link, but he had heard it once before...Ravio had been playing it when Link and Saria found him in the woods. Before he met the Kokiri. Ravio let the notes fade.

“...You remember that song?” 

“I can hear it. Clear as day.” He let his ocarina rest in his lap. “How much do you know? Is it more than just stories?”

“Honestly, I think you being here goes a long way towards proving it,” Link said. “Ravio… I think we can go there. We might be able to take you home.” Ravio stared at him. When he spoke his voice was quiet.

“You’ll come with me, right?”

“Of course.”

X

Ravio was incredibly moved by Link’s efforts to find out where he’d come from. While Ravio was busy feeling overwhelmed and out of place, Link had been researching and digging for clues. He did wish Link had let him in on it, but the man loved surprises. He probably got it from Saria.

“Are you ready?” Link stood at the bottom of the ladder of his home in Kokiri Forest. Ravio came down the ladder and stood across from him. The hero was geared up and looking at him reminded Ravio of their days in battle. Those days hadn’t been very long ago, but they held a sort of nostalgia for Ravio. They had met in those days, after all. Ravio slid his sword into its sheath on his back and took a deep breath.

“I think so.” 

Link chattered with Saria about where they were going. Deep into the Lost Woods was where they were going; deeper than most had ever gone. They were chasing a loose thread of lore about places where Hyrule and Lorule were the closest. One was supposedly deep in the woods. Saria hopped up to Ravio and commanded his attention.

“Be. Very. Careful. If you think you’re getting lost, play your ocarina and get out of there, or talk to me, or…” She stopped and took a deep breath. “Just take care of each other, okay?” Ravio looked down at her affectionately. He was grateful to have people who cared about him so deeply. He kneeled down and wrapped the small girl in a hug.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Saria. We’ll see you soon.” He kissed her cheek and stood up again. The worry on Saria’s face was poorly hidden, but she was trying desperately to be supportive. Ravio turned to Link and took a deep breath. He held his hand out to him. “I’m ready.”

Link grasped Ravio’s hand and the two men headed into the woods.

X

It wasn’t difficult for them to get themselves lost in the endless sea of massive trees. Once Link and Ravio had been walking for a while, they slowed to a stop. Link pulled out the small brown book.

“So...it says here that to find the ‘door’, you should lose yourself in the forest,”

“Which we’ve done very effectively.”

“...and then play the song inscribed here to ‘follow the glow’.” 

“It doesn’t say anything more specific?”

“No, unfortunately…but I’ll give it a try.” Ravio took the book from Link and held it for him as he took out his ocarina. The notes scrawled on the tiny page took a second to get right, but after a few tries he seemed to get the song down. The crisp music cut through the forest like glass and made their ears ring…but nothing happened. Link sighed. “I’m sorry, Ravi-...” Link stopped short and stared at Ravio’s chest.

Ravio looked down and saw a light shining through his tunic. He gingerly reached under his collar and lifted out the necklace tucked away there. It was the violet stone Nabooru had given him, and it glowed as if lit from the inside. He looked at Link. “This...this is the glow?”

“There’s no way Nabooru didn’t know about that.”

“She’s sneaky. I respect her.” Ravio let the amulet rest against his chest and watched as it mysteriously rose up again, pointing off into the distance. Anxiety twisted in the darker man’s gut and he reached for Link’s hand, gripping it tightly. They both walked forward, following the tug of the necklace. 

The farther they walked through the trees, the stronger the necklace tugged at Ravio’s neck. Link grew increasingly nervous but he trusted Ravio and he trusted himself. Their gear clinked quietly as they walked. He held onto Ravio’s hand tightly and kept pressing on. 

A great deal of walking later, the two men slowed to a stop in front of a wide tree. The necklace around Ravio’s throat shined brightly and pulled itself towards the tree as if magnetized. Ravio reluctantly released Link’s hand and lifted the necklace up over his head. When he held it out to the tree it connected to the bark and held there. Ravio turned and looked at Link.

“Is this…?”

“I mean, it’s got to be.”

“What do we do now?” Ravio was excited and nervous and jittery and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Link pulled out the book again and flipped through it. 

“Okay… it says that we need to play the song again. I’ll do it,” he said, and traded the book for the ocarina a second time. Ravio held onto the leather cord of the necklace, letting the stone rest on the tree. This time, when Link played the song, the notes stretched and warbled. The sharp notes grew louder in space and the necklace glowed brighter and brighter...until a loud crack rang out through the woods, startling Link and Ravio, who jumped back from the large tree the stone was so attracted to.

The bark of the tree was split, but not broken. A strange and colorful glow ebbed out from the depths of the crack and Ravio’s necklace, still clutched in his hand, glowed gently. Ravio felt strangely calm. He looked at Link intensely.

“I think this is it,” Ravio said softly. Link could hear his heart beating in his ears, the anxiety trying desperately to get the best of him, but he did not waver. “Are you ready?”

“As long as I’m going with you.”

Ravio leaned in and kissed Link tenderly, touching his face. He wasn’t afraid. Anxious, nervous, but not scared. He felt strongly that he needed to do this, and Link felt the same. Still holding onto Link’s hand, Ravio stepped into the dark opening in the tree and pressed forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


	12. Long Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio puts his feet on solid ground.

The inside of the fissure was dark and suffocating. Colors danced before Ravio’s eyes as if he’d been rubbing them too hard and he struggled against a resistance not unlike wading through water. Ravio clutched Link’s hand tightly; he couldn’t turn his head and look back, so he held on as hard as he could. Just as he began to struggle for air, he saw a light.

Ravio broke through to the other side, grasping the edge of the opening and pulling hard. He tumbled onto the grass on the other side, bringing Link down behind him. Both men panted for air and took a moment to breathe. Ravio rolled onto his back and groaned.

“That must be what being born is like,” he said.

“I thought you were going to rip my arm right out of the socket,” Link said breathlessly. Ravio huffed a laugh.

“Sorry.” He opened his eyes and gazed upwards through a canopy of trees. They were still in a forest, but…

Ravio sat up. He spun and looked all around them, seeing another vast ocean of trees. These trees, though…

Link gathered himself and looked up at the tree they had emerged from. The crack in the bark was still there, but it was smaller. Sleeping. This tree was also nearly identical to the one they had just walked into, but of course it was different. For one thing, it had a face. Was it alive?

 

Ravio took a very deep breath. He’d been here before. The darker man pulled himself to his feet and stared out through the trees. He listened. Behind him, Link also stood.

“Ravio?”

He spun around again and locked gazes with Link. His eyes were wide and wet with tears.

“We made it, didn’t we?” Ravio reached out and took Link’s hand. “Is this real?”

“Very real.” The voice didn’t come from either of the heroes and they looked for a source. A tree off to the side of them was talking. “Over here. Where did you come from?” Not every tree there had a face, but this one certainly did.

“...Inside of a tree.”

“Yes, I saw you come out of the tree. I’m asking for further explanation.” The tree’s mouth moved stiffly as it spoke and it even had strange eyes in the shape of the bark. 

“We, um...came through this portal from another world,” Ravio explained. 

“You related?” the tree asked. Link and Ravio looked at each other, then at the tree.

“...No,” Ravio said. The three of them stared and the silence stretched. Ravio cleared his throat. “Can you point us towards Lorule?” The tree blinked at them strangely.

“Travel west.” It shifted it’s gaze. “That way.” 

“Thank you.” Ravio turned and headed off in that direction. Link scampered after him and they fell in step together.

“That was weird.”

“It was, but to me it felt...kind of normal. I guess I’ve talked to trees before.” He pressed onward through the woods, exuding determination. Something in Ravio had changed and Link could feel it. It wasn’t anything bad, per se, just different.

Soon the trees began to thin and a barely visible trail peeked out through the grass. The trail led them to the edge of a clearing. They looked out over an area not unlike Kokiri forest, but populated by...monsters.

Link hadn’t seen anything like them. They were stocky creatures that walked on two feet with faces like hogs. They reminded him of Ganon. The two men stood very still; they hadn’t been spotted yet. Maybe they were friendly?

They were not friendly. As soon as they were seen by one it squealed loudly and elerted the entire camp of them. Ravio drew his sword and shield in seconds.

“Do you see that path over there?” Ravio said to Link, pointing with his sword.

“Yes!”

“Make a run for it!” Ravio sprang into action and intercepted the first beast that approached him with a weapon. A shield is typically regarded as a defensive tool, but Ravio saw them in a more versatile way. He bashed his shield directly into the monster’s face, knocking him to the ground, and leapt over him. Link remembered being on the receiving end of that shield and he didn’t envy the monster.

Link sprinted after Ravio and the monsters were surprisingly easy to outrun. The two men kept running until they emerged into a wide open field. They slowed to a stop and took a moment to catch their breath. Ravio was grinning.

“They’re called Moblins,” he said between breaths. Link looked at him questioningly. “Those monsters...they’re Moblins.”

“You remember them?”

“I do, I remember them…” His eyes scanned across the field before them.

“This is Lorule field, I assume? Like ours?”

“It must be… Link? Let’s walk,” he said. He had a very vague idea of where he wanted to go. Link followed dutifully; this was Ravio’s adventure, in a way.

Lorule field was very similar to Hyrule’s with wide open expanses and sparse trees. The grass was a slightly different color- a little yellow compared to Hyrule’s. The sky looked as if caught in the moments before sunset, but the sun was still hanging in the sky. Ravio steadily headed towards a large structure in the distance. Was it...Castle Town? It was certainly very similar to Castle Town on the outside and Link felt himself grow very anxious.

“Should I maybe wear a cloak or something?” He suddenly understood Ravio’s own anxieties very well. Luckily Ravio made a habit of carrying around his cloak, ‘just in case’, and he unrolled the garment before draping it over Link’s shoulders. He pulled the hood up over Link’s head and smiled. 

“Now you’re the one looking so dark and mysterious.”

“Does it look good on me?” Link smiled at him coyly. 

“You’d look good in anything. Or nothing.” Ravio said and leaned in to kiss him sweetly. “Are you ready?” Link nodded and followed close to Ravio as they crossed the bridge and entered the town.

The place bore a passing resemblance to Hyrule’s Castle Town, but it was of course very different. The Market wasn’t boisterous like Link had anticipated, but it did have quite a bit of life inside. People gathered together and washed their clothing in the square’s fountain while happy children raced around and between their parents, wearing dusty rags. Instead of stores like in Hyrule, the Market was more of a collection of families and people selling their wares from blankets laid out on the ground. It didn’t seem like a very financially stable community.

A woman off to the side was sitting on a blanket of her own. She had long white hair and looked deceptively young. She played music on a small stringed instrument and was busking for rupees. Ravio and Link recognized the song she played.

Ravio approached the woman quietly and drew his ocarina. When the melody started up again, he joined in. The musician faltered in her playing and looked up from her instrument. Her eyes grew very wide.

“...Ravio?”

He wasn’t very sure what to say, so he didn’t say anything. The woman scrambled to her feet and grabbed Ravio’s face in her hands. 

“Sweet Goddess, where have you been? We gave up, we thought…” she trailed off, sounding rightly upset, and shouted out to a group of people not far away. “Someone, go get Princess Hilda! Quickly!” She searched Ravio’s face. “...Don’t you remember me?”

A great fuss happened, seemingly all at once, and soon Ravio was flanked on all sides by concerned people who seemed genuinely shocked and pleased to see him. Ravio looked panicked for a moment but found himself soothed by the people around him. They were all incredibly familiar, but he couldn’t quite remember their names or who they were to him.

Link had backed off very quickly once people started recognizing Ravio. He lingered back on the edges of the square and watched Ravio being welcomed back. Link felt safe watching from a distance and he imagined Ravio felt the same way in Hyrule. It was an incredibly lonely feeling.

Soldiers approached Ravio and Link tensed.

“Princess Hilda needs to see you,” one of the soldiers said, and Ravio looked out over the crowd, looking for Link. When he found him, lurking in the distance and gazing out from under his hood, Ravio locked eyes with him.

“I’ll be back,” he mouthed, and was led away by the soldiers.

Link’s heart pounded in his ears and he tried not to panic. Link had put Ravio in similar situations many times in Hyrule; leaving Ravio behind to go places he couldn’t. It was only fair. He slipped up a closeby set of stairs and ducked into the courtyard of a grand temple. It reminded him of his own Temple of Time and he felt comforted. Now he had to wait.

X

Ravio was led through a courtyard and into Lorule Castle itself, a hulking dark fortress decorated in rich violets and reds. He would have felt overwhelmed if it wasn’t so familiar.

The soldiers led him to the throne room and very suddenly left him there. They disappeared and as soon as the soldiers were gone he noticed the figure standing before him, facing the throne. 

The figure slowly turned to face him. He knew who she was. She stared down at him with sharp, dark eyes framed by straight black hair. She was adorned by royal garb and held a scepter in one hand.

“Princess Hilda,” Ravio said. His voice was a whisper. The Princess’ stony expression turned hot and red with anger. She strode down to him, moving as if floating, and slapped Ravio so hard across the face he nearly toppled over.

“Where the hell have you been?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	13. Princess Hilda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This time, Link waits for Ravio. The two delve deeper into Ravio's life in Lorule.

Link waited patiently on the steps of the Temple. He didn’t know what the Temple was for or if it had a name, but he felt comforted just being in it’s presence. As he sat there he was reminded of how Ravio patiently waited for him time and time before.

Ravio was gone for a while and just when Link began to worry, Ravio appeared climbing the steps to the courtyard. 

“Link!” He was grinning. Link leapt to his feet and was surprised when Ravio pulled him into a tight hug. “I missed you,” he said, and Link laughed against his hair. 

“You weren’t gone too long,” he said, and pulled back to look at him. “What happened?”

“A lot of things, but Hilda let me come get you.”

“Hilda?”

“My princess! Like Zelda. Will you come with me? I want you to meet her.” He held one of Link’s hands in his own and kissed it gently. Link smiled at him warmly and nodded. 

“Lead the way.”

X

Lorule Castle reminded Link of Hyrule’s, of course, but the grand fortress seemed to be in a state of disrepair. Dust clung to most of the idle surfaces and dirt was tracked all through the halls. Link and Ravio were led through the halls to the throne room.

Princess Hilda stood before her throne, looking as steely and serious as before. She eyed Link suspiciously as they approached. Ravio stopped at the bottom of a small set of stairs and knelt respectfully- Link quickly did the same. 

“Princess Hilda, this is who I told you about.” He looked up at her and Link made steady eye contact with the carpet. This woman might have looked like Zelda but she certainly felt different. He could feel Hilda’s gaze searing into the top of his head.

“Lower your hood,” Hilda said. It was not a request. Link hesitated for only a moment before sliding the hood down away from his face. He looked up and met Hilda’s eyes. They were red and piercing. He saw her gaze soften, but only by a few degrees.

“Are you truly the Hero of Hyrule? Ravio’s counterpart?” 

“Yes,” he said. That certainly seemed to be the case. The princess searched his face.

“You may stand,” she said, and visibly relaxed. “Link, as I understand it, I have you to thank for Ravio’s return home.” She glided down the steps and stood before them on the same level. “Thank you.” Link nodded respectfully; he wasn’t very sure what to say.

“Ravio is my knight. He disappeared long ago, before…” She looked around her dusty throne room. The throne itself hadn’t been sat in for quite some time. Hilda had been too busy. “Is it true that you and your princess defeated Ganon and sealed him away?”

“Yes,” Link said softly. “Ravio is the one who killed him.”

“Did your princess tell you where she sealed him?” Link was quiet. He did remember her saying…

“She called it the ‘Evil Realm’.”

Hilda’s face reddened. “She did not banish him to the ‘Evil Realm’. She banished him _here_.” Link’s eyes grew very wide.

“Here? Ganon is _here_?”

“I have him contained in what used to be our horse ranch. Your princess made a very big mistake.”

“She would never do such a thing on purpose, I swear,” Link pleaded.

“It’s true,” Ravio spoke up. “I’m sure she didn’t know.”

“Regardless of complicity, Lorule is now on the verge of collapse. I have failed my country. You are all that I have,” she said, and regarded them both.

“How do I fix this?” Link asked. Hilda looked slightly surprised.

“It will take the seven seals of our wise men to banish him to the place between dimensions. I have five of them.” She held up her hand at gazed at her palm...her hand shook. “I cannot retrieve the last two. The wise men in charge of them may not even be alive anymore.”

“We will find them,” Ravio said. He didn’t hesitate a moment and he knew he didn’t even have to ask Link. “Where do we go?”

Hilda gazed at him. “Ravio… I didn’t say it before, but I am glad you’re home. Can you really not remember anything?”

“I remember in fits and spurts…” He held Hilda’s gaze. She held her hand out for his forehead.

“Come,” she said, and Ravio stepped into her hand. He trusted her.

Ravio’s eyes turned white and he gaped. Hilda held her hand there firmly and watched as Ravio began to shake. Link looked on helplessly.

“...what are you doing?” he asked shakily. Hilda didn’t answer and Ravio’s knees buckled. Link caught Ravio just before he crumpled to the ground and he looked up at Hilda, scandalized. 

“Please, don’t fret. He’s fine.” She was a statue. Link got the impression that nothing phased her. Ravio’s eyes fluttered open and he took a deep breath. Link helped him back to his feet. “I’ve given you all of my memories of you. With any luck, they will help you on your way.” Hilda turned away and walked to a cabinet at the end of the room. Link placed a hand on Ravio’s cheek and gazed into his eyes.

“Are you alright?” he asked. Ravio nodded.

“Yes, I…I remember…so much.” He looked around as if his eyes were new. “...I was knighted in this room.”

Hilda returned, eyeing how Link and Ravio regarded each other, and handed Ravio a rolled-up map. “The locations of the wise men are marked. Please find the last seals.” Ravio took the map from her, noting how her hands shook. She hid it very well but there was a reason why she was practically pleading for their help after getting ahold of five seals on her own.

“We will. I swear.” Ravio gathered himself and squeezed one of Hilda’s hands. She felt weak.

“Go back to the cabinet behind the throne…there are two things you will need before you go.” She seemed to grow weaker by the minute and Ravio reached out to steady her. He glanced over his shoulder at Link, who quickly crossed the room to the cabinet. He opened the heavy wooden doors and pulled out two cloaks. 

“These?” Link carried them back to Hilda and Ravio. Hilda nodded.

“Yes…” she cleared her throat and forced herself to stand up straighter. “Go settle and gather supplies, then find the seals. Quickly. Please.” 

“Are you alright?” Ravio gazed into Hilda’s face but she seemed to only look through him.

“Go,” she said, and gestured to the door. Ravio bowed respectfully and Link awkwardly did the same. The two turned and left, exiting the throne room. As they passed through the door an aide holding a large jar of a green potion pressed past them into the throne room and shut the door. 

As soon as the door was shut, Hilda collapsed onto the carpeted steps.

X

“Come with me into the square?” Ravio and Link stood at the gate that separated the town and the grassy path to the castle. “I want to talk to that woman from before.” Link nodded and squeezed his hand.

“Of course,” he said, and he followed Ravio into the square full of people. Link quickly pulled up his hood once the sound of the town hit his ears. Ravio crossed the square, politely asking the people who approached him to give him some space. They agreed, reluctantly, and Ravio continued on to find the white-haired musician on her blanket. She watched the two of them as they approached.

“Ravio...please come sit,” she said, gesturing to the open space on her blanket. “And your strange shrouded friend as well.” The two men settled on the blanket and looked at the woman. “You don’t remember me, do you?” she asked. Ravio looked sad and embarrassed.

“I’m sorry...I was taken against my will. I don’t remember everything,” Ravio explained, and the woman looked sad.

“My name is Liza,” she said. “I’ve known you since you were a young child.”

“Really?”

“Yes...I’ve missed you very much. I’m so glad you’ve come home safe,” she said, and patted Ravio’s knee. “Please, who is your strange friend?” she asked, looking to Link.

“It’s okay,” Ravio assured Link. He hesitated for a moment before gently lowering his hood.

“Good Goddess, you could be twins!” Liza exclaimed, but she kept her voice low to avoid drawing attention.

“This is Link,” Ravio said, reaching out and taking the other man’s hand. “He’s from a world a lot like ours, but different. He’s…” Ravio looked to Link thoughtfully. “...he’s very important to me.” Link blushed.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Liza,” Link said and reached out to her with his free hand. She took his hand and gave it a gentle shake. “You have to tell me all about what Ravio was like as a kid.”

“Oh, gladly! He was such an adventurous child; very curious and sociable.”

“I didn’t have parents, did I?” Ravio asked suddenly.

“No… your mother disappeared when you were about five-years-old.” Liza looked at Ravio sympathetically. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened to her. But the community seemed to adopt you.” Ravio looked around him at the people gathered in the square. They were all very involved with each other and shared food, clothing, and resources.

“Have times always been this hard?” Link asked Liza. The white-haired woman shrugged.

“It has always been rocky...but things are much harder as of late. I’m sure you’ve heard about the monster at the ranch.”

“Yes...Hilda told us. We’re going to take care of it,” Ravio said.

“Take care of it?” Liza looked incredulous… and worried. “Well...I hope so. Please, you need to be careful.” 

“We’re going to be very careful,” Link said, meeting her gaze. “I promise. Ravio and I have been working together for a long time now.”

“I believe you, I believe you…” She patted Link’s knee with a hand, shushing him. “Believe me, if anyone in Lorule could retrieve the wise men’s seals, it’s Ravio here… but if anything happened to you,” She reached out and cupped Ravio’s cheek. “I would be losing a son.”

He remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Please let me know what you think <3


	14. Xerxeus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio go after the sixth seal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Depictions of blood and violence
> 
> If you're curious about what's going into my Lorule lore, see my end notes as well!

Link and Ravio stepped out onto the grass of Lorule field and stopped. Link eyed Ravio’s distracted expression and stepped in front of him. “Ravio? Hey,” he gripped Ravio’s shoulders. His green eyes pulled back into focus.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just...I’m remembering a lot of things. It’s kind of overwhelming. I’m sorry,” he said softly. Link cupped the back of his head with a hand and rested their foreheads together. 

“It’s okay.”

“It doesn’t feel real,” Ravio said, his voice quiet. Link pressed his cheek against Ravio’s. 

“Do I feel real?” His face was warm and soft. Ravio closed the distance and pulled Link into a hug. Their gear clanked.

“Yes.”

“I promise it’s real. It’s okay.” Ravio pressed his face into the cook of Link’s neck and breathed. He smelled calm and familiar. He pulled back and smiled at Link.

“Did you know I wanted to run a shop when I was a kid?” 

Link grinned. “No,” he said. “Of course I didn't. That’s adorable.”

“Yep, that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. A shopkeeper.” He parted from Link and began to walk towards the base of the mountain in the distance.

“Why didn’t you?” Link fell in step with him. 

“No money.”

“Is that why you became a knight?”

“Pretty much, to be honest...place to sleep, food to eat. Hilda and I always got along, so having her as a boss isn’t bad or anything.” Ravio felt like his memories made more sense when he talked about them. Link was reminded of when he first met Zelda as children; they had become fast friends as well. He couldn’t imagine what Hilda was like as a child.

“How long have you known Hilda?”

“Since I was around eleven, maybe? I would sneak on to castle grounds and scare her.” He laughed to himself. “One time she got so mad at me for scaring her she burned my eyebrows off. She’s incredibly skilled with magic.” Link loved hearing about Ravio’s life...there was so much to know. Ravio slowed to a stop at the base of a flight of stone stairs. 

“This used to be a village…” Ravio said. The nearby signpost was painted over, declaring the place the ‘Thieves’ Village’. “Stay close,” he said to Link and they climbed the stairs.

The village was deafeningly quiet. As soon as they stepped foot inside the gate they could feel eyes on them. Two shrouded figures loomed on the rooftops of nearby houses, perched like gargoyles and staring holes through the two heroes. A handful of the buildings were burnt out by fire, which was likely why no one lived there anymore aside from squatters and thieves.

“Come on,” Ravio said quietly. “We’re just passing through.” He took Link’s hand and hustled past dilapidated houses in pursuit of the trail that led up the mountain. The gate that kept villagers away from the trail was broken and Ravio shoved it out of the way. They headed upwards.

A cold chill rushed down the mountain and assaulted Link and Ravio’s faces. The cold bit at their ears and Link gathered the cloaks Hilda had given them. He draped one of them over Ravio’s shoulders before pulling on his own. As soon as the cloaks were on, the cold was gone. Of course it wasn’t gone, but the cloaks made it much easier to bear. Were they enchanted? 

Link and Ravio waited a moment and adjusted their cloaks. The mountain was foreboding but they had come prepared. The wise man’s keep was at the very top of the mountain and so the two began to climb. 

Something began to roll snowballs down the mountain, as if trudging uphill through the snow wasn’t difficult enough. The giant snow boulders didn’t show up at regular intervals either and often sent the two men scrambling out of the way. Once or twice they were two slow and were made very familiar with the snow. As soon as Link spied the impish creature that took so much joy in running them over he put an arrow through its’ chest. They kept climbing.

The two scaled one last icy wall, floundering on the slippery footholds before eventually pulling themselves up onto the ledge. Before them stood the gaping mouth of a cave and they sighed in relief.

“Thank Goddess,” Link said, and bent to catch his breath. Ravio was out of breath as well but he stepped in close to Link, waiting for him to stand back up before pulling him into a firm and excited kiss. 

“We made it,” he said and grinned. Link grinned back. 

“We did. Are you ready?”

“Born ready,” Ravio said. “Let’s get the seal.”

Just inside of the cave was a modest area with pillows and rugs, even a few tapestries...but no wise man. Ceramic pots were shattered and littered across the floor and at the back of the cave sat a door. Well, there wasn’t much left of the door; it was busted open and hung off the hinges in splinters. 

“...He’s not here.” 

“Who exactly are we looking for?” Link looked around the room at the piles of cushions and pillows. Against one wall were what looked like small religious offerings including small carvings of lions and pieces of precious stones.

“His name is Xerxeus. He looks after the health of the mountain and protects one of the seals. Truthfully I’ve never met him, but…he’s easy to recognize. And he should be here.” Ravio walked up to the busted door and peered through. On the other side of what used to be the door was a large icy cavern. “Looks like we’re going in. Watch your step,” he said as he crossed the threshold. “It’s icy. Pretty much everywhere.” He held Link’s hand as he stepped through the doorway. 

Inside the cavern were a series of platforms suspended by old stone and ice that made a precarious path across a cold and sheer drop into darkness. “Over there,” Link said, and pointed at an opening that led deeper into the cave.

“Alright...let’s do it.” 

Link and Ravio had jumped across many threatening chasms together since meeting each other and Link had hopped across even more, but it was always a nerve wracking experience. Every time one of them leapt across a gap and risked falling to their death, Ravio had to swallow the fear that it was only a matter of time until one of them took a jump they couldn’t make. Despite all fears and anxieties, however, they crossed the chasm unscathed. The passageway deeper into the cave was lit with enchanted torches and the two began to walk.

The cave seemed to wind all the way through the mountain, but the ice was everywhere. There was no sign of a hot lava core like the Death Mountain of Hyrule. The two heroes paused and stood atop a long chute downwards that curved out of sight. Ravio eyed it. 

“There are a lot of icicles along there…” Each one of them hung from the ceiling menacingly. “I’ll go first.” 

“Are you sure?” Link tugged on Ravio’s sleeve. The icicles looked very sharp and very fragile.

“Yeah, of course. I’ll make sure it’s clear.” Ravio gently pulled his sleeve free and kissed Link’s cheek before inching towards the steep slope. He planted his feet and started to slide slowly, but he wasn’t in control for very long and wobbled as the chute grew steeper and steeper. Icicles shook free behind him and shattered, which cleared the way for Link but also made him very nervous, and his anxiety was for good reason. Ravio slipped off his feet and slid the rest of the way on his ass, swearing the whole way down. He was falling too fast to make the turn at the bottom and slammed into the wall, hard.

“Ravio!” Link cried out. Ravio groaned and rolled onto his back.

“I’m alright! I’m okay,” he called out to Link, not noticing the icicles above him shaking loose. He glanced up just in time to see the first few fall and shatter into piece around him. He protected his face and head with his hands and tried to wait for the rest to fall, but the dagger of ice directly above him wasn’t going to be easy to ignore. The ice cracked and the weapon fell, piercing deep into Ravio’s gut.

It was hard to tell which one of them screamed louder. Link practically launched himself down the incline after Ravio, sliding through the shattered bits of ice. He slammed into the wall as well, but no icicles fell- Ravio had already knocked them down. Link scrambled to Ravio’s side. The darker man coughed, blood tinting his lips, and he gripped the ice imbedded in him. Link tried desperately to keep his head and fumbled for one of his bottles; he had fairies! They had brought plenty of them. Blood began to seep through Ravio’s tunic and he gasped and struggled against the pain. 

“Hold on, Ravio, hold on-!” Link’s panicked hands finally gripped one of their glass bottles and yanked it out of his pack.

“W-wait-!” Ravio held up a weak hand. “You have to...pull it out,” he said. There was blood in his mouth. Link knew he had to do it, but he sincerely wish he didn’t.

Link struggled to his feet and stood over Ravio. He gripped the shard of ice the best he could and looked Ravio in the eye. He trusted him. “I love you,” Link said, and he pulled.

Ravio’s scream was earsplitting and Link tossed the icicle away before kneeling again, grabbing the bottled fairy. He yanked the cork out of the bottle and shook the fairy out- likely more violently than necessary. If the fairy was insulted it didn’t let on and she danced over Ravio’s body before flying off as they all did. Ravio’s bleeding stopped and he clutched his abdomen through the new hole in his tunic. His breathing was deep and ragged. Link leaned over him and touched his face.

“Are you alright?” Ravio tried to sit up but winced. “No, don’t move yet- I’m sure it still hurts,” Link said. Ravio stared at the ceiling. “Hey, Ravio. Look at me.” His green eyes shifted until they caught Link’s. “You’re gonna be fine.” Ravio took a deep breath.

“Thank you,” he said softly. The aftershocks of the pain stabbed and burned in his gut. There was blood on his hands, in his mouth.

“I broke both of my ankles in the Fire Temple,” Link said. Ravio blinked at him.

“...At the same time?”

“Yes,” he looked at Ravio knowingly. “I fell about ten meters.”

“But you had a fairy?”

“Luckily, yes. The pain will pass but it needs to happen,” he said. Ravio nodded and looked down at his blood-smeared stomach. The pain was still sharp and throbbing but it ebbed slowly. He breathed deep. 

“Will you help me up? It’s cold down here,” Ravio said and Link took his hands and helped him to his feet.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I will be,” Ravio said. “We have to keep moving.” Link understood and kept close to Ravio as they pressed forward again. Ravio gathered his cloak closer over the new hole in his clothing and he stifled a shiver.

The longer they walked the more Ravio’s pain faded and the more he felt grateful for Link. He was already very grateful to have him but he wasn’t sure he would have been able to remove the shard of ice on his own, not to mention dig around in his pack for a fairy. They had saved each other many times before, but this time felt significant. For a moment he was sure he was going to die. 

The two men continued along the path the cave wove. It was hard to ignore the ominously direct path they were taking and eventually a strange bestial growl echoed out from the depths of the icy caves. The heroes paused to listen for a moment before drawing their swords and continuing. 

Ravio could see a larger open area at the end of the passageway they followed. Link could see it too, and he could also see the large figure that paced the area. It came into focus as they approached.

Standing in the middle of the icy room was a massive white lion. The beast was adorned with armor and sported an equally massive pair of white wings not unlike an eagle’s. Ravio paused at the very edge of the room and stared the beast down. The beast stared back, it’s eyes a glowing a menacing red, and dark drool dripped from its’ mouth.

“...Xerxeus?” He sounded more confident than he was. This was the legendary wise man Xerxeus, but…

“W h y - a r e - y o u - h e r e?” Xerxeus spoke, but did not move his mouth.

“We need your seal. Ganon’s evil is spreading through the country and we need to get rid of him before Lorule falls apart-”

“P e r h a p s - L o r u l e - d e s e r v e s - t o - d i e,” Xerxeus said. His voice was smooth and ethereal. His regal mouth dripped with filth and blood. Something was wrong. Ravio steeled himself. “L o r d - G a n o n - w i l l - b u i l d - i t - b a c k - u p - a t o p - y o u r - c o r p s e s.”

“Give us the seal.” 

“T a k e - i t - f r o m - m e, - K n i g h t - o f - L o r u l e.” The grand lion bared his teeth and roared, the sound shaking the walls of the cave and sending ice crashing to the ground around the room. Ravio planted his feet and raised his sword. Link drew his bow.

Xerxeus’ claws bit into the ground and he launched himself at the two heroes, intent on eating them alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, after doing some research into wether or not there are Dark World theories about Ocarina of Time Hyrule, I stumbled upon something grand that I hadn't known about called Ura Zelda. I had expected to find a fan theory, perhaps, but this is something canonical. Ura Zelda was going to be an add-on of sorts to Ocarina of Time but the project was scrapped and the dungeon maps that had been created were instead used to make Master Quest. I'm putting some links here so you can read more about it!
> 
> This is a link to the Zelda Wiki for basic information,  
> http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Ura_Zelda
> 
> In this link there are four pieces of actual concept art that I'm using for inspiration and guidance.  
> http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-05-reviving-ocarina-of-times-long-lost-ura-expansion 
> 
>  
> 
> As always thank you so much for reading!! I hope you find this interesting. :)


	15. Lanayru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio head towards the last seal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning for Descriptions of Violence

Ravio rammed his shield into Xerxeus’ mouth. The battle was hard fought; Link was running out of arrows and Ravio was running out of energy. The metal of Ravio’s shield creaked under the royal lion’s jaws and he jammed his sword into the beast’s throat. Blood rushed down his arm. Xerxeus fell to his haunches and released Ravio’s shield. Ravio knelt next to the wise man, clutching the blade still. He wasn’t going to take it out until he was sure it was enough.

Xerxeus heaved loudly, his breath foul and hot in Ravio’s face. The arrows in his side shifted with his breaths.

“What happened to you?”

“E v i l - h a p p e n e d - t o - m e. - H u r r y - b e f o r e - i t - i s - t o o - l a t e.”

“I’m sorry we had to meet like this, Xerxeus.”

“A s - a m - I. - P l e a s e,” the lion growled deeply. “E n d - t h i s.” Ravio nodded gravely and twisted his blade hard before yanking it out. More blood poured down Ravio’s hands and Xerxeus gave one last heavy breath before falling still. Ravio’s sword clattered to the ground. Link stepped up behind him.

“Ravio?”

“I don’t know what I’ll tell Hilda. She’s going to say that this was her fault.” Ravio sighed and carded his hands through Xerxeus’ thick white mane. After a bit of searching he found the seal hidden amongst the fur, strung on a gold chord. He looked down at the palm-sized medallion in his hand sadly. Link rested his hand on his shoulder.

X

Link managed to convince Raivio to fill up on supplies in Castle Town before heading to the last wise man. Ravio was anxious to get his hands on the seventh seal and it was obvious, but they needed supplies. While they were in town, however, they didn’t stop in to see Hilda. Ravio wanted to get both seals to her as fast as they could and it just seemed like it would save time, he said. Link knew he didn’t want to tell her about Xerxeus; he didn’t know the extent of the wise man’s significance but he could tell he’d been an important fixture if Ravio was so upset by it. It didn’t help that killing someone or something always put a weight on one’s soul, no matter how many times you’re forced to.

Once again Link and Ravio set out over Lorule Field. “Where are we headed?” Link asked.

“We have swamps to the West, where the desert would be in Hyrule.” He squinted slightly against the sun as it began to hang lower and lower in the sky. Link could feel Ravio pulling away again so he reached out and laced their fingers together; he seemed more present after that.

“Do you know this wise man?”

“Yes, I’ve been this way before. Her name is Lanayru. She’s the Mother of the Ku.”

“Ku?”

“They’re an amphibian people who live in the swamp. They aren’t mean, though- I mean, they are, but we have an alliance.” The two of them found the path that led to the swamp and followed it. Link could feel how tired Ravio was, and he was feeling weak on his feet as well. Link gently tugged Ravio to a stop.

“Ravio…” Link tried to give Ravio his best tired face. “I need to rest. You do, too.”

“Can we rest when we get to the swamp?”

“No, because when we get to the swamp you’ll suggest that we rest after we find the seal. We won’t be able to retrieve the seal if we pass out.” Ravio knew Link was right; he was exhausted. “I know you want to end this as soon as possible, but if we have to fight for the seal again I don’t think we’ll have the strength.” Ravio nodded defeatedly.

“Should we rest here, then?” There was some cover under an outcropping of rock up high. Even the dirty ground looked welcoming when he was this tired and the soft moss looked downright luxurious.

“Aye, this should be fine.” Link and Ravio now had three cloaks between them and they were more than enough to lay out on the ground and to use as blankets. Ravio was the first to plop himself down and Link followed suit.

“Does your stomach still hurt?” Link asked. Ravio rested his hand over the holes in his tunic and undershirt. His insides still ached from being rearranged once by the icicle and then again from the healing.

“Yes...but it’s getting better,” he said. He leaned his tired head on Link’s shoulder. Link slid his arm around Ravio and gave him a squeeze.

“Lie down,” he said softly. “Try to sleep. I’ll wake you later and we’ll trade places.” Ravio laid down and tried to get comfortable on the ground. After a bit of tossing and turning Link guided Ravio until the other man’s head was cradled in his lap. He ran his fingers through Ravio’s hair, who hummed appreciatively. “Try to sleep,” Link said again, and he watched as Ravio fitfully tried to rest. He knew Ravio had no problems sleeping in the daytime, he actually loved sun naps, but he knew there were things on his mind. Too many things. Link continued petting Ravio’s hair and began to hum. 

He hummed Epona’s song, but not just the first six notes that brought his horse running. He hummed the song’s entirety, soft and slow until he could see Ravio settling down into a light sleep.

X

Ravio played with Link’s hair while he slept. They had traded places in the middle of the night and both needed to rest. As the sun rose Ravio knew it was only a matter of time until Link stirred and decided to wait. He was taking the time to sort through a few things. He had a lot to think about. 

His mind lingered on Xerxeus. Hilda had known the regal lion for her entire life. Many parents in Lorule told their children about wise man Xerxeus, the guardian of Death Mountain, but he wasn’t a topic of much discussion around adults. The royal family knew the truth of the myths and kept ties with him knowing that, when it came to Lorule’s health and safety, Xerxeus would be a worthy ally. Ravio had never met him until he had to kill him. He regretted so much. 

Link stirred slightly as the sun truly began to brighten the sky. He looked up at Ravio who was watching the sunrise, enraptured. Link grunted and sat up, tucking his legs under himself and kneeling next to Ravio. They watched the sunrise. 

Off in the distance they could see the stone walls of what used to be Lorule’s horse ranch. Arching over the top of the dish-shaped area was a strangely colorful forcefield, no doubt made to contain the violent beast inside. Soon the sun rose high enough that the sky bloomed into vibrant blues and Link felt Ravio take his hand. When it became too bright to watch, Ravio turned to Link and caught him in a kiss. The two leaned their foreheads together.

“Ready to save the world?” Link asked softly. Ravio chuckled.

“Hilda has done all of the heavy lifting...I’m ready to finish the job.” Ravio kissed Link one more time before standing up and stretching. Link got to his feet as well and began to pack up their things. They needed to move quickly now that they were rested.

X

The swamp was a mess. Link and Ravio hopped across logs and patches of grass to avoid the mud but the dirt stuck heavily to their boots. It was suffocatingly humid and they were both sweatier than they’d have liked to be. 

“Shit-!” Link wobbled violently on a fallen tree and Ravio reached out to steady him. When Link seemed to find his balance again, Ravio snorted.

“Link! How unbecoming of a hero,” he said, laughing. Link slapped his shoulder.

“I’ve heard you utter things much worse, Ravio.” Link still smiled at him warmly and they helped each other across the gaps. When they made it to the edge of a rushing waterway they paused. “Which way are we supposed to go?”

“Upstream,” Ravio said grudgingly over the loud water. A man-sized creature popped out of the water then, staring them down. It had one eye and bore a passing resemblance to a turtle, shell and all.

“You are the only Knight of Lorule,” the creature said as it walked up onto the shore. It’s voice gurgled and bubbled. “Correct?” Ravio nodded and Link seemed to fade into the background.

“Aye. I’ve come to see Lanayru.”

“She will not see you.”

“This is incredibly urgent.” Ravio seemed to be very good at walking the line between polite and forceful.

“She will not see you. Here.” The Ku extended a webbed hand to Ravio, showing the seventh seal hanging from their wrist. They lowered their voice. “Lanayru is ill. She sent me with this. Take it and go.” Ravio hesitated before moving closer and slipping the seal off of their hand. The Ku left as quickly as they arrived, diving against the water and disappearing. Ravio stepped back up next to Link.

“The wise man is sick? Or wise woman, I guess.”

“The Ku don’t necessarily have a concrete idea of gender...they’re very fluid. But they’ve always called Lanayru a ‘her’.”

“They remind me of the Zora.”

“Me too.” Ravio looked down at the seal shining in his hand. “...Goddess, I can’t believe we have it. We need to get to the castle.” Ravio lit a proverbial fire under himself and headed back the way they came with Link not far behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	16. Saving Lorule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hilda, Link, and Ravio confront Ganon.

Ravio all but ran across the field towards the castle and Link struggled to keep pace. “Ravio!” Link shouted and finally the darker man paused and turned around.

“I’m sorry,” he said, brows furrowed in embarrassment. 

“It’s okay,” he said as he caught up to Ravio. “But you need to calm down. We’re going to get there.” He took Ravio’s hand and they started walking again, their pace urgent but not frantic.

The two passed straight through castle town, not pausing to make any sort of conversation. Link didn’t even pull on his cloak. The soldiers on on guard on the path to the castle watched them with a kind of knowing anxiousness. Ahead of them a soldier leapt to attention before heading inside to find the princess. They burst into the throne room at the same time only to find it empty. Ravio spun around and started rushing through the halls. Link quickly realized that Ravio knew the way around the castle and he didn’t, so he hustled after him. “Wait-!” 

Ravio suddenly stopped in the hall, Link crashing into him. He peered around Ravio’s shoulder, seeing that he had nearly run into the princess. 

“Hilda!” Ravio reached out and clasped her hands in his. “We have them.” Hilda blinked at him; she had dark bags under her eyes.

“You do?” She gave Ravio’s hands a squeeze. “We have to go. We need to seal him immediately. Ravio, go to the kitchen and gather potions, especially green ones. Meet me at the gate.” The princess parted from them and they rushed to gather what they needed.

Link and Ravio waited at the gate of the castle grounds with their packs heavy with supplies. Hilda approached them from the castle, dismissing the soldiers that tried to accompany her. Seeing the princess walking unaccompanied was strange, but they didn’t have time for a chauffeur and they knew she could hold her own and more. Hilda stopped before them and regarded Ravio. She held a sword in her hands. Ravio recognized it immediately and he dropped to one knee. 

“This sword has been your right for a long time. I’m afraid there’s no time for a ceremony,” she said, and gently placed the weapon into Ravio’s outstretched palms.

Ravio looked over the blade in awe. It was the twin of the Master Sword; a blade that had been forged to battle against evil. It had been passed down to heroes through generations of Lorule Knights. The power in the sword made his hands prickle. He stood.

The three of them passed back through the square, drawing many stars and murmurs, and then across the field towards the ranch. 

Hilda stopped just shy of the stone corridor into the ranch. She extended her hand and pressed her palm against the glowing forcefield. The glowing dome shivered and disappeared, leaving Hilda’s shoulders much lighter. “Ravio, a potion,” she said, and Link was quick to press a bottle into her hand. 

“Have you been holding that up this entire time?” Link spoke up for the first time in a while.

“Yes,” Hilda said, and set about gulping down the entirety of the bottled potion. The two men noticed how un-regal it looked for her to chug it so fast, but they kept it to themselves. Hilda took a deep breath. “Are you ready?” Hilda looked them in the eyes gravely, first Link’s and then Ravio’s.

“Yes. We’re doing this together,” Ravio said. It wasn’t a question as much as it was a statement. They didn’t have much of a choice. Link stole Ravio’s hand for one more squeeze before they walked up to the makeshift arena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


	17. Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After sealing Ganon away(properly), Link receives a great honor and Lorule finally begins to recover.

Castle Town was in full celebration by the time Link and Ravio made their appearance. The townspeople were boisterous and happy for the first time in a while. Every person that could play an instrument performed together. The two heroes were greeted by cheers and applause by the townspeople, who were all wearing their best. No one seemed terribly bothered by Link’s staggering resemblance to their local hero, which he was grateful for. Perhaps the people of Lorule were used to stranger things.

Ravio leaned in close to Link’s ear, speaking softly. “I’m going to go talk to some old friends...do you feel safe enough to be alone?” Link nodded, affectionately patting his cheek. 

“Aye...go celebrate.” He smiled at Ravio, who pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek before heading towards a group of young people. Link scanned the crowd for Liza and found her sitting on her blanket off to the side of the commotion. Link made his way towards her and she ushered him over welcomingly.

“Come, come...sit with me.” Her long white hair cascaded over her shoulders and Link thought she looked very wise. “How do you fare?”

“Quite well, really.” He was recovering well from the fight, as was Ravio. Hilda had collapsed once Ganon was sealed away, having reached the very limit of her powers. She had been resting in the castle since her and Ravio had carried her there.

“That’s very good...thank you, for what you’ve done for our world.”

“Of course,” Link said. With him there was never much of a choice; he was always compelled to help, and Lorule was Ravio’s home. He looked out over the square, finding Ravio talking to a small group of people. He was so sociable...it made Link a little jealous. He was always so shy and quiet.

“Why aren’t you playing?” Link asked, tilting his chin in the direction of the stringed instrument in Liza’s lap.

“I will...for now I need to rest. My old knees are tired.” She followed Link’s gaze back out over the crowd, finding Ravio chatting with his friends. “No one expected Ravio to become a Knight,” Liza said. Link looked at her questioningly. “He was far too much of a troublemaker,” she said, and smiled. “When he was a child he’d sneak bits of food from people’s vending stalls; it took a few tries to get him to ask for food when he was hungry instead of just taking it. As soon as he learned his morals, though, he was very passionate about doing the right thing…” Ravio laughed with his friends on the other side of the square. One of the girls he was talking with stepped closer to him, laying an affectionate hand on his chest. Link felt his own chest get tight. “He’s quite the ladies’ man, too.” Link did not like the pangs of jealousy he felt.

Ravio smiled awkwardly at the young woman and stepped back from her, politely removing her hand from his person. Link’s anxiety eased. 

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Liza said. She read him like a book. The fairer hero smiled at her shyly. “I can tell. You two aren’t very good at hiding it, if you’re trying to.” Link blushed and Liza smiled. “You’re very sweet to each other.” The two of them let the comfortable silence grow.

“I’m going to take a walk,” Link said softly, and Liza smiled at him warmly and invited him to return any time. Link set about wandering the alleys of Castle Town, appreciating the quiet and also the ways the place was different and similar to Hyrule. He heard steps behind him and turned, finding Ravio approaching him.

“Hey...not leaving, I hope?” 

“No, no...just stretching my legs.” He watched Ravio come closer.

“I guess we do get to celebrate together, huh?” He reached up to touch Link’s cheek, who leaned into his hand. “I know you don’t like crowds, though.”

“It’s alright,” he said softly. “I like watching from the sidelines.”

“You deserve to be out there with me,” Ravio said. Link smiled; he remembered saying something similar before. 

“I think you should get the spotlight for this one,” he said. Ravio didn’t answer and stepped in close to him, walking him back against one of the houses that lined the alley.

“I do admit that I’d rather celebrate with you than with the entirety of Lorule.” He boxed Link in, resting his hands on his waist and leaning in to kiss him. Link kissed back sweetly and his arms snaked up to wind around the other man’s neck. They kissed for a while, feeling each other breathe and sigh slowly. Ravio’s sweetness gave way to gentle passion and he slid a hand up to thread into Link’s hair, knocking his hat to the ground as he’d done many times before. He gently tugged Link’s head to the side and peppered his neck with soft kisses before gently biting down.

“A-ah!” He would have been lying if he said that he didn’t turn him on. Ravio slotted one of his legs between Link’s and pressed gently against his groin. Link pushed at his shoulders gently. “I-I’m not sure this is the best place to do this…”

“No one’s around,” Ravio said, his voice low and hot, and Link gave his shoulders a light shove. He pointed over Ravio’s shoulder; someone was walking towards them.

“O-oh!” It was the woman from the square. She must have followed Ravio into the alley. “I’m sorry!” She scampered away quicker than she’d come and a laugh bubbled up from Ravio’s belly. It was the kind of laugh that resonated in his chest and Link could feel it against his sternum, making him smile. Ravio’s laughter also made his leg shake, which was still pressed between Link’s legs. He tried to bite back the feeling.

“Well, I suppose that’s one way to turn her down.” Ravio nuzzled his head into the crook of Link’s neck and let one of his hands wander down the side of his thigh. Link grabbed his hand before it could slide up his tunic.

“Hey! Knock it off. If you want to neck so badly we have to find somewhere your other suitors won’t find us.”

“I don’t have any other suitors, I promise. Am I the only one who wants to neck? If you don’t want to, that’s okay…” He pressed his thigh against Link a little harder, making him gasp. He gripped Ravio’s shirt in his hands.

“You know I want to…” He leaned in and spoke into Ravio’s ear. “Find somewhere.” He pulled back and locked eyes with the other man, making it clear that while he desperately wanted to grind against him, he wasn’t going to do it in public. Ravio looked to be on the verge of whining but instead his face lit up with an idea. He grabbed Link’s hat off the ground before taking his hand and rushing back towards the center of town, dragging him along. Link tried to keep up but he was also trying to conceal the partial erection Ravio had given him and he stumbled awkwardly before slamming into Ravio’s back and staggering to a stop. 

“Ravio, your presence is required at the castle. Your companion is, as well.” Link looked over Ravio’s shoulder to see two castle guards standing before them, looking formal as usual. It was strange to think that Ravio was their superior. The darker man sighed softly. 

“Is something wrong?” The heroes’ minds immediately rested on Hilda.

“We need to prepare for the ceremony and festivities.”

“Ceremony?”

X

Ravio stood in his personal quarters two days later, dwelling for a moment on how strange it was to have personal quarters. As he pulled on the layers of his formal Knight’s uniform he thought of Link in his own guest room just down the hall. Maybe he could sneak down the hall before the ceremony started…

He pulled on his hat last, it was his least favorite part of the uniform, and peeked out the door only to find a soldier poised with his hand about to knock on his door.

“Oh.”

Link awkwardly looked around his guest room. It was the guest room in a castle so the bed was heavenly, but otherwise it was quite sparse. He could see the faint outlines where rugs had laid and tapestries hung. The entire castle felt cold, but he imagined that all of their valuables had been liquidated in an attempt to keep people fed. With Lorule safe for travel again their economy began to stir. He had no doubt that the country would flourish again.

He eyed the uniform on his bed. It was a deep violet tunic with red accents and the Lorule crest proudly embroidered on the chest. He wasn’t entirely sure what the ceremony was for and he was too nervous to ask. He pulled on the uniform, feeling self-conscious. Not long after he was dressed there was a knock on his door.

X

Soldiers and townspeople lined the sides of the throne room. Ravio and Link stood next to each other at the doors of the hall across from where Hilda stood in front of her throne, holding her scepter. She looked well-rested for the first time since Link met her.

Ravio cast a glance over Link next to him and smiled. “You look _very_ good in that uniform,” he said quietly before walking across the stone floor towards Hilda and kneeling before the throne.

“Ravio…” Hilda’s voice echoed off the naked stone walls. “I speak on the behalf of all of Lorule when I say we are overjoyed by your return to us.” The people gathered in the room cheered and whistled, but Hilda hushed them with a raised hand. “You have saved us all, and I have something for you.” A well-dressed attendant came to Hilda’s side, delicately carrying the sword they had used to kill Ganon.

“This blade has been passed down to Knights for generations. The Hero’s Sword has been your right for a long time now and it is my honor to bestow it upon you.” She gingerly took the sword from her attendant and tapped the dark blade on each of Ravio’s shoulders as if knighting him again. “Stand,” she said, and she gently laid the sword in his outstretched hands.

Ravio turned to face Link and the other onlookers, raising the sacred blade for all to see. He was met with cheers and applause.

“Ravio, by my side.” Ravio sheathed the sword on his hip and stepped up to stand to Hilda’s right side. She raised a hand to Link. “Link, please come here.”

Link had no idea how Ravio was so comfortable in front of so many people. He was nearly paralyzingly anxious, but Ravio held his gaze steadily. His attention reminded him that he was safe. He walked up and knelt at the throne, gazing up at Hilda and Ravio. Ravio stood with his hands behind his back formally but he stood contrapposto, casually, like he knew he shouldn’t be. He couldn’t help but notice the look Ravio was giving him. He saw affection and warmth but there was something else in his expression...

“Link,” Hilda began. “Hero of Hyrule. You’ve done me a great service by bringing Ravio home to us and aiding us in sealing Ganon. I cannot begin to repay what I owe you. It would be my honor to bestow upon you an honorary Knighthood.” She regarded him, warm but serious. “Do you accept it?” Link blinked up at her and glanced to Ravio, who tilted his chin down just a bit to suggest he accept.

“A-aye.” Hilda’s face gave way to a slight smile and she drew an excessively long ceremonial rapier from the sheath her attendant held. First she held the blade straight up before her face, then lowered it down to tap Link’s left shoulder. The princess spoke softly in a language he didn’t understand and then brought the blade up and over his head to tap his right shoulder. She withdrew the blade from Link’s person and returned it to it’s sheath. 

“Rise Link, Knight of Lorule.” When Link pulled himself to his feet he was met with applause, which was very close to overwhelming. “At my side,” Hilda said loudly enough for him to hear and gestured to her left. Link stepped up next to her, standing tall with his hands clasped behind his back. Hilda raised her hand to silence the room. 

“My fellow people...we will be having food in our dining hall in half an hour. There is enough to go around, but please be patient with us. We need to be sure everyone gets a plate. Thank you all.” She nodded to the room politely and stepped down from her throne, walking to the grand doors. Ravio gestured for Link to follow after her and in turn fell in step behind him.

Link was instantly relieved to be out from in front of the crowd. Ravio stepped up behind Link and rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Hilda?” he said. The princess paused on her path to the kitchens. “Will you excuse us?” Hilda glanced between Ravio’s face and his hand on Link’s shoulder before she answered.

“Yes, of course. Go on.” She turned away again and continued on her mission to be sure the kitchens were ready. Ravio took Link’s hand and scampered down an adjacent hallway.

Link had no idea where they were going and let Ravio lead him through hallway after hallway until he recognized the hall their rooms were on. The darker hero fussed with his keys before getting the door to his room open and practically yanking the other man inside.

Link stumbled into the room, surprisingly furnished in comparison to the rest of the castle, and Ravio slammed the door shut, pressing Link up against it. He reached under one of Link’s arms and locked the door, dropping the key to the ground. He pressed against Link, reminding him very vividly of just a few days ago in town, and leaned in close to him with half-lidded eyes.

“I’ve been trying to get you alone for two days.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To stand 'contrapposto' means that you stand with your weight on one leg and not both!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. <3


	18. Ebb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys spend some time alone and Link brings up something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains sexual content!

“I’ve been trying to get you alone for two days.” 

A strong shiver zipped up Link’s spine at Ravio’s words and he gripped the other man’s sleeves in his hands. 

“You’re so impatient,” Link said, but he was impatient as well and he pressed his hips against Ravio’s. 

“You look incredible in that uniform,” he said, slipping his thigh between Link’s. He yanked the hat off his head so he could thread his fingers into his hair and kissed him hard. Ravio always seemed very keen on touching his hair so Link returned the favor, tossing the hat aside and carding his fingers through Ravio’s dark tresses. Link slid his hand to the base of the other man’s skull and gripped a fistful of hair. Ravio gasped into Link’s mouth, his jaw going slack. Link grinned. 

“So do you...it’s a good look.” They must have looked like very charming matching bookends on either side of Hilda. Link gave Ravio’s hair an experimental tug and was more than pleased when he moaned softly and let Link tug his head any way he liked. The fairer man pulled Ravio’s head to the side and leaned in, pressing a warm kiss into the crook of his neck. Ravio pressed his hips against Link desperately; he was at his mercy for the moment. Remembering their necking in the alley, Link gently bit down on Ravio’s neck and was rewarded with a desperate gasp, arms around him, and an urgency pressing against him. He bit down harder and Ravio’s knees shook. Link pulled back and kissed the red marks he’d left behind. “You like that?” he asked softly and Ravio nodded eagerly. When Link relinquished Ravio’s hair he spun them around and gently pushed him back onto the bed before climbing atop him. 

Link stared up at Ravio, enraptured for a moment as Ravio slid his hands up Link’s thighs, bunching the formal tunic up around his waist. It was hard not to put his mouth on Link as soon as he pulled down the grey breeches of the uniform, but he was determined to see all of him. The last two times they touched each other like this they had been impatient and rushed and had barely undressed. With a bit of awkward struggling they managed to kick their boots off, followed by the breeches. Link sat up and tugged at Ravio’s tunic, lifting it up over his head a little more roughly than was entirely necessary. Several more tugs of fabric later and Ravio was staring at a very nude Link, who gazed back.

Link rested his hand gently on Ravio’s stomach, hovering over the faint scar there that was slowly fading. 

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Ravio said, laying a hand on top of Link’s. Link leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Ravio’s chest, his feet still hanging off the edge of the bed. 

“I’m glad,” he said and slid his hands up Ravio’s torso until they ghosted up his neck to cup his face. “You really scared me.” 

“I’m sorry,” Ravio answered, leaning into his hands. Link pulled him into a gentle kiss.

“You know I forgive you. Just, please…” he knocked their foreheads together. “Don’t be so reckless.” 

“I won’t, I promise.” As his memories continued to untangle themselves in his head he had come to the realization that he’d always been reckless. He wasn’t sure why, exactly, but he knew he should reel himself in. Perhaps he needed something to be safe for. “Scoot up on the bed,” he said softly, and Link slid out from under him to rest against the ornate headboard. Ravio crawled up after him, gently nudging Link’s legs apart and straddling one of his thighs. 

Ravio set about touching every inch of Link he could reach, splaying his hands over the other man’s chest and sliding a thumb over one of his nipples, then the other one. Link breathed shakily and squeezed Ravio’s thighs; he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with his hands when Ravio was touching him so hungrilly. Ravio licked into Link’s mouth and kissed him deeply as his hand slid down his front. His fingers carded through the soft blond curls below his navel and traveled lower, just barely touching him. Ravio took Link in hand tentatively at first, gripping him a little tighter when Link drew a shaky breath and squeezed his thighs. He gave Link a few preemptive strokes before traveling even lower. Link angled his hips upwards as Ravio pressed a few fingers to the spot between his scrotum and his anus and rubbed gently.

“A-ah! That feels...weird…” Link’s face was flushed and his breathing short. The sight made his dick ache almost as hard as his chest. Ravio leaned in close to Link’s ear.

“Is it bad? Should I stop?” he asked. Link shook his head.

“No, please…” he said softly and chased after Ravio’s mouth for a kiss. Ravio nipped gently at Link’s lip between kisses and took the other man’s cock in his free hand, stroking him slowly. Link groaned deep in his throat and grasped at Ravio’s hips.

Link’s breath hitched with every circle Ravio traced over his perineum. The fairer hero groped at Ravio’s erection sloppily and Ravio swatted his hand away before taking Link in hand again.

“No, no...I can wait. Relax, feel this.”

He felt it. It was as if he knew exactly where to touch him, and maybe he did. Maybe they had the same sweet spots. 

He could feel his climax curling and winding in his gut and he tried to push it down. He didn’t want it to be over just yet, but...sweet Farore. Ravio knew what he was doing and he wasn’t letting up.

Link came with a soft cry, his hips canting upwards into Ravio’s hands. His semen dripped slowly down over Ravio’s fingers as Link rode out the steep waves of his orgasm, breathing heavy and twitching with overstimulation. Ravio pressed a sweet kiss to Link’s forehead when he took his hands away from his sensitive bits. Link watched as Ravio brought his hand to his mouth and licked a bead of cum from the back of his finger in what was probably the filthiest gesture he’d ever seen. He shivered.

“Why do you always do me first?” Link dragged him in close by the hips, pressing Ravio’s hardness against his stomach. Ravio drew a shaky breath.

“I don’t know…can’t keep my hands to myself, I suppose.” He wiped his hand on the sheets. 

“Am I that irresistible?” There was a smile in his voice. Ravio gripped Link’s face in his palms, meeting his eyes with intention.

“Yes.”

X

Link held Ravio in his arms as he floated in the afterglow. Ravio curled into Link, resting his head on his chest and breathing slow and deep. Link ran his hands through the other man’s dark hair as he thought to himself.

He was homesick. He’d only been away for several days, but he was also thinking about Saria and Zelda. He knew they were probably worried. The train of thought made him consider the horror Hilda and the rest of Lorule felt when their only Knight disappeared without a trace...only for Ganon to show up and begin tearing their kingdom to shreds.

What if they had just sent Ganon back to Hyrule?

They hadn’t, of course, but the anxiety gnawed at him. It gnawed harder and harder until he spoke up.

“Ravio?”

“Mm?” Ravio adjusted so he could look up at Link but keep his head resting on his chest. Link petted his hair lovingly.

“I need to go home soon.” He almost had trouble saying it. Ganon wasn’t the only thing making him anxious; Lorule was Ravio’s home. Ravio gazed into Link’s eyes thoughtfully. 

“I don’t think I can leave Lorule so soon…”

Link's heart sank to the floor. “What should we do?” His voice was very small. Ravio crawled up so they could be face to face. He knew what Link was upset about.

“We’ll split up.”

X

Link’s boots softly crunched the fallen leaves and twigs along the path as he followed Ravio into the deep recesses of the forest. Ravio was a few steps ahead of him, letting the violet pendant guide them back to the portal between their worlds. The fairer hero was lagging behind, practically drowning in his thoughts. In front of him Ravio stopped and turned to look at him, holding out his hand. Link caught up to him and wove their fingers together.

They didn’t share a word until they found the stately tree that they had come through. Ravio turned to face Link, who wore his anxiety on his face for the first time in a while. 

“Five days,” Ravio said. Link swallowed. “I'm going to be back in five days. I need to help Hilda start to get things straightened out here before I can come see you again.”

“Please be safe.” Link squeezed Ravio’s hands. 

“I will. I promise.” When Link didn’t answer he bumped their foreheads together. “I swear.” Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

Link pulled Ravio into a tight hug, burying his face in the other man’s shoulder. He didn’t want to let go, but he did. He kissed Ravio sweetly and lingered before parting from him.

Ravio produced his ocarina from his pack and played the necessary song that rang through the trees and split the bark open. 

Link gazed into the glowing portal for a moment before casting a glance to Ravio over his shoulder. Ravio held his eyes. 

“I swear.”

Link nodded softly before stepping forward into the dark crevice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m particularly proud of this one. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	19. Flow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link waits for Ravio.

Link jolted awake, eyes blinking wide and glancing around. He was fine, safe in Kokiri Forest. He sat up blearily and rubbed his face with his hands.

He’d been having a dream. He grasped at the threads of the vision that had shocked him awake. He saw…

He saw Ravio fighting. Who was he fighting? It didn’t matter; Ravio was losing. Link saw the flash of the blade as it ran Ravio through. He screamed and ran, but never got any closer. He saw Ravio choke on the blood that came bubbling out of his mouth. He saw the man that trusted him with his life collapse in a shallow pool of red and lie very still. 

It was just a dream. It wasn’t even a prophetic one; those were much clearer and always left an itch. Prophetic or not, he still worried. Was Ravio safe? Was someone watching his back? Hilda, maybe?

He knew Ravio was fine, but the less rational part of his mind wasn’t convinced. Link took a deep breath before shaking out his blanket and trying to get comfortable again under the sweaty sheets. 

xxx

Four days since returning to Hyrule, Link was spending his first night in his new home. The carpenter brothers made surprisingly quick work of the house, having likely been closely monitored by Zelda. It also helped that Link aided with the building. If he hadn’t there would have been no telling when the project would have been done.

After kicking out the last loitering carpenter, Link set about walking his house. It was a small and modest abode tucked away between the trails to Kokiri Forest and Lake Hylia and he already felt at home there. The rooms were a bit sparse and Zelda had promised him furniture in the next few days, but he didn’t need much. For now the bed he had was plenty.

Link walked out and around the house to the stables, giving his cow a gentle pat as he passed her. When he found Epona drinking at a trough he hitched her up to a cart full of jugs. The two friends set out across the field to the river to gather water. As Link walked alongside his horse, he let his thoughts wander.

He missed Ravio, of course, but he worried more. Working on the house provided an excellent distraction, but Ravio was always lingering on the edge of his thoughts. Would he know where to find him when he came back? He hoped so; they had decided where they wanted the house before leaving in search of Lorule. He would know where to go.

Link filled the jugs with water and hauled them back onto the cart before heading back to the house. He had enough water to take a bath, if he really wanted. It had been a long time since he’d bathed in a tub. He watched the evening sky slowly changing colors as he walked with Epona, then lead his horse back around to the stables. 

Link headed back inside with one of the water jugs on his shoulder, ducking under the doorway. Just as he began to struggle and lower it to the floor it became much lighter. Was someone else…?

“Ravio!” The water jug thudded heavily to the floor and Link nearly knocked it over in his haste to wrap the other man up in a hug. Ravio laughed joyously and let himself get swept up, surprised when Link lifted him up and swung him around. 

“Woah! Easy, easy, you’ll make me sick…” When Ravio’s feet were back on the ground they embraced properly, pressing their faces into each other’s necks and breathing deeply. Link pulled back and looked at him.

“You’re early,” he said, a grin growing on his face.

“I missed you. And Hilda said I ‘should just go’ if I was going to keep moping around.”

“You were moping?” Link’s grin grew wider and he slipped his arms around Ravio’s waist.

“I really was.” The darker hero rested his arms on Link’s shoulders and leaned in, kissing him sweetly. “The house is beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful,” Link said, and Ravio blushed a charming shade of red. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly. “This is the first night I’m staying here.”

“Really?” Ravio wound one of the long locks of hair in front of Link’s ears around his finger. “Does that mean we get to...break it in?” Link blinked at him.

“With sex, you mean?” Had Ravio been drinking anything, he would have choked on it. “At least let me give you the tour first.” Ravio laughed and squeezed his shoulders.

“Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, one more chapter to go!


	20. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes are exactly where they belong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains sexual content!

Ravio was eager to return to the cottage in Hyrule after working in Lorule for several days. It had been several weeks since Link moved into the house and both heroes settled into an awkward routine of sorts. For the time being Ravio would spend a week or less in Lorule, and then a week or less in Hyrule. The back-and-forth was tiring, but he refused to abandon his home or Link. He made it work, but he knew it was hard on his other half. He was well aware of the anxiety Link held onto; the nervousness one feels when someone they care about goes somewhere they can’t follow. Ravio was searching for a second magic pendant; surely if Hyrule had one, Lorule would have one as well. He’d decided to ask Hilda about it when he returned to his post. 

In the meantime, however, he was going home. He walked across Hyrule Field and was grateful that the cottage was so close to the path out of Kokiri Forest. When he rounded the corner and saw their little dwelling he quickened his pace but paused a few feet from the door. He could see Link through the window rinsing his hands in the kitchen basin. He was wearing just a plain tunic without the bells and whistles and had his hair pulled back in a small ponytail. His heart swelled in all of it’s clichéd glory and he hurried inside.

“Ravio!” Link grinned at the other man as he dried his hands. He tossed the towel in his hands aside and stepped up to him, giving him a quick kiss before helping him out of his cloak.

“Hey,” Ravio said as he unbuckled his gear. “I missed you.” As soon as he wasn’t weighed down by outer layers and weapons, he pulled Link in close to him.

“I missed you, too.” Link met Ravio in a kiss and squeezed him tight before letting go. “Are you hungry?” He made his way back to the kitchen.

“Oh, starving. I didn’t have dinner before I left the castle.” Ravio pulled off his boots, hopping clumsily, before following Link.

“I’ve made some soup. With any luck it’ll be better than last time.”

“It smells fantastic.” Link served two bowls of soup out of the pot slowly cooling over the snuffed fire and set them on the table along with a hunk of bread. The two sat down together and munched away in companionable silence, gently knocking their feet together under the table.

Eventually Ravio lifted his bowl to his mouth and noisily slurped down the rest of the broth. Link chuckled as he watched him, slowly sipping at his own soup.

“So, give me the news. What’s going on in Lorule?” He rested his feet with Ravio’s, who wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

“Oh, plenty. We’ve been making progress with Faron Village; we’ve either negotiated with the people squatting there ore driven them out. Hilda is going to assess what work needs to be done and how much so we can hopefully have people living there again soon.”

“That’s great! I’m glad things are picking up.”

“Me too.” Ravio leaned his arms on the table, idly watching Link. “What about here? How is Hyrule faring?” Link set down his empty bowl.

“Well. I’ve been helping to chip and melt the ice in Zora’s Domain...progress is slow but we’ve managed to free some of the Zora.” 

“That’s incredible; are they okay?”

“They needed a meal and some rest, but they’re doing just fine now.” Link pushed their dishes aside and slid his hands across the table, finding Ravio’s. “...Zelda wants to knight me.”

“Yeah? Are you going to accept?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know...I don’t want the big ceremony. And if I’m going to be knighted, I think you should be, too.”

The two heroes spent a short while catching up and eventually the two of them rose from the table. Ravio took their bowls to the basin to wipe them clean. “You cooked, I clean,” he said, and Link smiled.

“If you want supper later I’m afraid more soup is on the menu,” he said. Ravio shrugged as he cleaned. 

“I thought it was great,” Ravio said. It wasn’t like castle food, but it wasn’t bad for people who hadn’t really cooked much their entire lives. Besides, he’d likely enjoy anything if Link made it.

“Oh, I have something to show you,” Link said and turned to head back to their bedroom. He returned with a piece of parchment in his hand and met Ravio in the hallway. Link glanced at the mirror they had hung in the hall and paused. Ravio stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around Link’s waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. Link gazed at their twin faces in the reflective glass.

“Do you think it’s a little narcissistic? Us being with each other, I mean.” Ravio hummed softly as he considered it.

“Well, I don’t feel like this when I look at myself…” He pressed his hips against Link’s backside pointedly. “...I feel like this when I look at you.” Ravio’s clever hands slid up Link’s abdomen, feeling the lean muscle through his shirt. Link’s face burned hot and he could see just how red he was in the mirror. He could also see the wolfish grin growing across Ravio’s face.

“I-I wrote us a song,” Link said quickly before he got distracted.

“What?” Link unfolded the parchment and held it up so Ravio could see. The darker man reached around Link’s shoulder and plucked the paper out of his hand, relinquishing his hold on Link’s waist. The other hero turned to face him. Ravio scanned his eyes over the notes a few times, then a few more.

“It’s like Saria’s Song, so if you want to talk to me you can just play it...I’m not sure if it’ll work in Lorule, but it’s worth a try.” Ravio looked at Link for a moment, then the parchment. The look on his face…

Ravio gently placed the parchment on the table under the mirror before grabbing Link by the face and dragging him into a kiss. Link made a soft surprised noise in his throat and kissed back, his hands cupping over Ravio’s. The darker man pulled back reluctantly and knocked their foreheads together.

“I love you,” he said breathlessly. He had a thousand things he wanted to say to Link and he didn’t know where to start. Were there any words for how grateful he was for everything Link was? 

“I love you too, Ravio,” Link said quietly. He saddled Ravio with a look that made his heart thud. Ravio gulped softly and rubbed a small circle on Link’s cheek with his thumb. 

“Can we maybe...move to the bedroom?”

“I’d like nothing more.”

With some sloppy kisses and fumbling feet the two of them wound up back in their bedroom, Ravio’s hands roaming greedily. Link jumped when Ravio grabbed his ass and caught his hands when they splayed over his chest. He held them up and away from their bodies.

“You need to keep your hands to yourself more, remember?” Link squeezed Ravio’s wrists firmly and his breath hitched. “...Provided that’s alright with you.” Ravio nodded, mouth curling into a smile.

“Whatever you say,” he answered, and Link smirked. Ravio was giving him ideas.

“Keep your hands at your sides,” Link ordered gently, and Ravio reluctantly complied. The lighter hero set about undressing himself, slowly removing one article at a time and watching the other man shift his weight from one foot to the other impatiently. When Link finally kicked away his breeches he let Ravio just look at him for a moment before stepping in close and unbuckling his belt. Ravio clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides, fighting the desire to tug his clothes off and plaster himself against the other man, but Link clearly had something in mind. Instead he held onto the threads of his patience and lifted his arms when Link pulled his tunic and undershirt over his head.

After Ravio’s breeches were yanked down and kicked away Link took Ravio’s restless hands and placed them on his shoulders before catching him in a kiss. He knocked their hips together and Ravio gasped at the fleeting pressure, pressing himself closer to Link just as he pulled away.

“Get on the bed,” Link said softly, and Ravio obeyed. It was getting cold as the light slowly began to fade and he pulled the covers up around as his waist before waiting for the other man. Link dug around in the drawer in their bedside table and fished out a vial of liquid. Ravio shivered. 

“Is that…?”

“From Nabooru, yes.” She had called it a ‘housewarming’ gift. Link tucked the vial into his palm before climbing onto the bed and into Ravio’s lap. “You’re going to be good, right?” There was a teasing lilt to his voice and Ravio found himself nodding dumbly.

“I’ll do anything you tell me, honestly…” He was relieved to have Link so close again and he fisted the sheets at his sides. Link carded his fingers through Ravio’s hair and watched his face closely. 

“You can touch me, Ravio, but you must behave,” he said. Link slid his hand to the base of Ravio’s skull and gripped his hair. His eyelids fluttered. “You’re going first.”

Ravio didn’t have much time to react before Link roughly tugged his head to the side. He was at his throat, quite literally, kissing sweetly under his jaw and licking wet stripes up his jugular that cooled quickly in the air. Ravio slid his hands up Link’s back, feeling the strength under his skin and gently dragging his nails along his shoulder blades. Ravio gasped when Link closed his mouth over the soft skin between his shoulder and neck and sucked. He squirmed under Link and drew shaky breaths as he suckled and dragged his teeth over the spot. Link slid his hands over Ravio’s chest, finding his nipples and rolling them between his fingers. The man under Link pressed his hips up against him desperately but he couldn’t quite find the relief he was looking for. Link released Ravio’s neck only to bite down on the spot that was already purpling with a bruise and speckled with burst capillaries. Ravio yelped loudly, but not unpleasantly, and Link pulled away to meet his eyes. He looked absolutely debauched. 

“Are you alright?” He cupped the side of Ravio’s face, who nodded. “Don’t move,” Link said and ducked down under the covers.

“Where are you…?” He let his question trail off when he felt Link’s warm breath below his navel and his face nuzzle into the soft hair there. He reached down and lifted the sheet to see what exactly Link was up to, only for his hand to be swatted away. Ravio huffed a laugh. “Why are you hiding?” Link wrapped his hand around Ravio’s painfully hard cock, earning a soft gasp. 

“For one, I’m shy, and I’ve never done this before…” He ran his fingers through Ravio’s curls lovingly as he simply took his time and breathed along his length. Every hot exhale made Ravio’s cock jump. 

“Just don’t stop,” Ravio said shakily, prompting Link to lick a hot and slow stripe up the underside of his dick. “Ah-!” The surprised sound caught in his throat and he clamped both hands over his mouth when the other man’s warm mouth closed around his tip, surrendering a loud and muffled moan. The warmth disappeared.

“You better not be covering your mouth,” Link said from under the covers. He pulled the sheets back so they bunched behind his head and saddled Ravio with a heavy look. “There’s no one around. Just me.” The sight was nearly too much and Ravio shuddered, staring back at Link. He let his hands fall to his sides and Link smiled. He opted instead to let Ravio watch after all; this way he could see the other man’s face. He resumed his ministrations, feeling self conscious but spurred on by the look on Ravio’s face. 

Link returned his focus to the matter literally at hand and closed his mouth around Ravio once more, holding his length steady by it’s base. He swirled his tongue around Ravio’s glans, met with a sharp and shaky gasp, and bobbed his head shallowly. Link’s hand closed the distance between the base of Ravio’s cock and his mouth, being sure to pay attention to every inch. Link pulled his mouth free with an exaggerated ‘pop’!

Link found the vial of liquid in the folds of the sheets and uncorked it with his teeth, pouring the liquid over his fingers and being sure Ravio could see. He held Ravio’s eyes as he slid a finger down to rest against the ring of muscle behind his perineum. “Is this alright?” he asked. “For me to put a finger inside you?”

“Oh, yes.” His voice was weak; Link’s bluntness made him _ache_. The lighter man made sure he had enough oil on his fingers before gently sliding one into him. Ravio shivered violently; it was a sensation he hadn’t felt for a very long time and no one he’d ever felt by another person’s hand. Link slowly slid his finger out of Ravio and back in again as he returned to his prick. Ravio’s hands wove shakily into Link’s hair. There were noises spilling from his mouth but he couldn’t quite hear himself over his sensory overload. Link’s head bobbed and his hand stroked. “Shit…” Ravio sighed, and Link bent his finger upwards.

“Fuck-!” Ravio’s hands fisted in LInk’s hair, who hummed appreciatively, and that was all it took. Ravio drew tight like a bow, curling over Link and gasping. His hips jerked and Link held still, managing not to choke on him. The lighter hero let Ravio ride out his release and felt his cum spill into his mouth. He pulled his mouth off of Ravio with a soft slurp just as Ravio’s tension broke and he leaned back noisily against the headboard. Link swallowed politely(it didn’t taste bad at all, actually) before he also eased his finger free and fumbled for the handkerchief on the bedside table. Ravio’s vision swam and for just a moment he forgot where he was, flinching when Link wiped his backside clean. 

Soon Link crawled up next to him and wrapped his arms around Ravio, sliding them both down under the covers and gathering him close. He peppered Ravio’s cheeks with slow kisses until he blinked his eyes open. Link looked very pleased with himself. Ravio was also looking very satisfied. He waited to catch his breath. 

“You’ve been doing some reading…” he said quietly. Link’s grin was contagious.

“I have.” The two of them floated for a few minutes before Ravio nudged his nose against Link’s, his voice low.

“You should fuck my thighs.”

X

Ravio wasn’t truly satisfied until Link was just as much of a breathless mess as he was and the two of them collapsed together in a weak and affectionate pile. Link rested his head on Ravio’s chest and listened to his heartbeat slow.

“...I’m glad you didn’t kill me when you had the chance,” Link said softly; there was a lightness to his voice that was contrary to his words. Ravio pressed his face into Link’s hair and breathed deep.

“As am I.” Things would have been very different had he simply followed his orders. He was infinitely grateful that he hadn't. Ravio had become a kinder and gentler man for having met Link, and Link had become a more confident and assured man for having met Ravio. “Hey, Link?”

“Mm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you so much for sticking with me as I wrote this. I had a lot of fun working on this and I'm honestly really proud that I wound up writing so much for it. Probably the longest piece I've done! And to think I even finished it.
> 
> I also do some illustration and drawing, so if you like art with your fanfic I'll probably be posting links to some art in the notes of the chapters. I'll also likely continue writing small drabbles about the characters in this fic(Zelda and Hilda, for example) which will be filed in a different entry. 
> 
> Thank you so much. <3 Your comments and feedback have meant the absolute world to me.


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